The Choice of a Lifetime
by heatherlea75
Summary: Jackie is given the opportunity to choose her life and the love of her life. How, and who, will she choose? AU, with three pairings JF, JK, and JH...ultimately one wins out.
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

**Warning:** Some language throughout the story.

**Author's Note: **This is kind of a concept story, based on a theory that I had as a little girl. That theory was that babies waited in line in heaven to be born. (This isn't at all religious or theological…I'm basically using heaven as a setting. Actually, I don't even mention heaven at all. It's just implied.) I expand a little on that idea. This is also a story for the fanfiction contest at Fanforum.

It's AU, so the characters may be in and out of character, though I've tried to keep them all close to canon development. Also, you'll notice that I've taken a lot of liberties with show canon. I did that on purpose, and I hope it works. (And what I've used of canon generally isn't verbatim – every time I use that word I think of Fenton - again, on purpose.)

This story is Jackie-centric.

I think it's a slightly different kind of love story, and I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know…this story is kind of a first for me. I've never done anything even remotely "paranormal" and I guess this kind of is. :)

**The Choice of A Lifetime **

_Introduction _

_Long before a human being comes to exist on earth, a soul is created. And somewhere above the earth, deep in the blue of the sky, among the clouds, that soul waits patiently for their turn to be born into life. After all, a body is a human being. But a body, a human being, requires a soul to be a person. _

I've been waiting in this line forever, or at least since I was thought of. That was my creation; a collection of thoughts, of creative impulse and design. A work of art in the mind.

The line ribbons out in front of me, weaving in and out, and you'd think I'd be impatient. I'm not. I'm getting closer, and the speed of time feels as if it's increasing.

"You're going to be a girl."

I turn around and find Vetri, another UBS – unborn soul – hovering behind me. Like me, and the others in line, V (as Vetri prefers to be called) is nothing but an ethereal outline of what will become a body. The lines that define us are the color of pearl in the sunlight; glossy cream darted with pinks, lavenders, and blues. Between those borders is a misty shadow, with vague features that function but aren't entirely visible. We understand what components our body will have, like hands, faces, eyes, ears, and on and on. We've been told. We just can't quite see them yet. "How do you know that?"

V shrugs. "You're turning pink. I heard that pink means female."

We've also been explained the difference between male and female. Some UBS's are allowed to choose. I've wondered if I'd be that lucky, wondered how I would make such a choice, but apparently, I won't. I wonder, though, how V heard this and I haven't. We've been next to one another in line the entire wait. Must have been while I was sleeping. Unborn souls need rest. We've been told that's because life on earth won't necessarily allow for such sweet relief.

A female. I'm not sure I want to be a female, but then again, I'm not sure I don't. We've been told the basics, but nothing more.

"The line is moving," V tells me.

Before I can turn, V is pulled out of the line by some invisible force. I gasp, try to call out to V, but I can't. My voice is gone. Streaks of light, gold and silver, guide V's path, and in just a second, V is gone.

I reach out, but it's pointless. I feel…odd. Displaced. V and I talked a lot, laughed a lot, while waiting. I shake my head and slowly turn to follow the line. I hope V is okay. I hope that it wasn't a second thought. That happens to UBS's sometimes. V second thought, or a reworking of that thought, eradicates us.

I move as we all do, allowing the pull of the UBS in front of me to tug me along. But this time, unlike the previous eternity of slow progress, I move faster and faster, the white that has long been steady on all sides becomes rapid streams of silver and gold. What I've been told is my head feels thick and yet light. I'm moving so fast that light has become irrelevant, I suppose, since everything is now black.

I try to say something, try to protest, but my voice is still dead. I'm slowing. The black gives into silver and gold flints, and in an instant, the white fog returns. The lightness in my head retreats, and I look around. Everything is the same as it was before time sped up, except for one thing. In front of me stands an angel.

I've never seen an angel, only heard whispers about them, enough that I know this is one. Angels have walked earth. Angels have lived, and so they have defined human bodies. There are no shadows to this angel, no mere outline, no misty center. This angel is solid, and the features that in me and every other UBS are so indeterminate are fully formed and evident. This angel looks like an UBS colored in, with tans and browns.

"Ah," the angel says, the voice rather low-pitched, but very pleasant. Low voice means male, I've been told. And from what I've heard, that males are generally physically larger than females, this angel does appear to be male. "UBS Love."

The words are given to us as names at our creation. Random, I've been told. Vetri – I mean, V- that's how babies are given names on earth, too. V seemed to know just about everything. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that V knew about the pink-female thing.

The angel's lips turn upwards at me, and it warms me. "I'm Paul, your guide angel."

"Are you a male?" I ask. I can't help it. This is the first opportunity I've had to see a male in the flesh, so to speak.

The angel nodded. "Yes. I am male. As I said, I'm your guide angel." He holds something in his hands and looks intently at it, runs his finger over it. "And you are to be female. Your name is to be Jacqueline Beulah Burkhart." He looks up at me. "Does that please you?"

Beulah? The Jacqueline part sounds okay, and the Burkhart sounds fine. But Beulah? I'd rather have Love for a middle name. I'd rather have Vetri for a middle name.

He chuckles. "I can see that you're not too fond of the middle name. I'm sorry. I can't do anything about that."

I nod and grin slightly. "The rest of it is okay, I guess. I mean, I don't really know if I want to be a female or male."

"That's right. I keep forgetting how little you UBS's know about earth. Now." Paul lifts his hand and extends it towards me. "Take my hand. I have a few things to show you before you're ready for birth."

He steps towards me and I hesitate. I'm unsure of how to move. I've always just been pulled along by the UBS in front of me.

"Just hold on, and I'll do the rest."

I take his hand, somehow molding my hand, which looks more like a flap at this point, around his. My head shoots up when warmth spreads over me. Is this what touch is? Does it always feel so nice? I feel tingly, and my form shivers.

Paul smiles. "Come with me."

Before I have time to wonder what's happening, he pulls me forward, I float along after. We only move for a few seconds, but seem to travel a long way. Now, instead of white clouds nestling around me, I am in a room blockaded by solid walls painted in the same pastels as my outline, though below me is still a swirl of clouds. In one wall, there is an opening, and beyond that is familiarity; the thin white haze that used to envelop me and the others. It's pulling at me, and I feel my form strain to begin a float to it.

The warmth turns to heat, grips me, and prevents me from fleeing. I look down. Something is happening to me. I feel something jumping in the center of my form. And when I look at myself, I can see more than just the mist. The lines that used to outline me have multiplied and shifted. There are glossy lines all over me, darting towards the middle of me. I lift my head, and Paul curves his mouth upwards again.

"You're form is preparing for your birth into life. Don't worry, it's normal. Come."

The angel leads me to the opening.

"You have two choices, UBS Love. Two choices of families to be born into."

I look at myself. Now the lines are glowing and pulsating, and tiny pricks purse my form in perfect rhythm with the lines' strobe. "Two choices?"

"You are lucky. Most have no choice. You are special."

My face seems warmer, such as it is, and I wonder if the lines are causing that.

"Keep in mind that the choice you make will impact your life on earth in incredible ways. The choice you make here will define the love you give and are given in return, and nothing is more important on earth than love." He winks at me. "Hence, your UBS name, because love is particularly important to you. Jacqueline Burkhart has enormous love to give, and an enormous need of it."

I shake my head, bewildered. "How am I to make the decision?" I turn to stare at the familiar, and the idea of busting through the opening and floating back into all I've ever known seems like a good one.

_You'll know._

I turn to Paul. He hadn't spoken, so where had those words come from? Now the lines aren't just prickling, they're hot and sharp, and I tremble with a cold chill all over. Violently.

Again, he smiles. "You're just about ready for birth. You've just had what people call an instinct. And…"

He puts his hand in the center of me, just a few inches below my face. I look down, and his hand is moving. Something is pounding it upwards. I think I heard once that there's a muscle there, called a heart, I think.

"The way you feel right here after you see your choices is how you'll know what to do."

Paul turns me around and gently guides me until I'm only centimeters from the opening.

"Look."

I frown. "I don't see anything."

"You will."

I stare out. Only clouds, rolling hills of clouds.

"Now. Your first choice."

As my guide angel speaks, his tone still soothing and musical, lovely to listen to much like the birds that occasionally entertained us during our wait, I notice the clouds part, revealing a vibrant blue, a wide expanse of it.

It's beautiful, and beckoning, but different. Much more intense than the calm white I'm used to. When the heat of touch on my back pushes me forward, I strain, try to resist. After a moment, and a slight clucking from Paul's throat, I give in. I float out and into the blue yonder. My eyes move back and forth, so quickly that it all becomes blurry.

"Your first choice, Jacqueline Beulah Burkhart, is in Point Place, Wisconsin…."


	2. Choice One The Beginning

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice One – Point Place, Wisconsin – The Beginning _

_**Here we are in Point Place, a small town in middle Wisconsin. You're the only child of Jack and Pamela Burkhart. Jack is an entrepreneur and politician, and Pamela is…well, she's a socialite, to put it nicely. You're family is wealthy and live very comfortably (sometimes excessively) in the nicest neighborhood, drive the newest model cars, wear the most fashionable clothes. It's a beautiful way to live…**_

"Mommy! Daddy!" A little girl, just an inch over three feet tall, skipped down the velvet-red carpeted staircase. Her raven pigtails leapt wildly from her head as she did. "It's my birthday!" She jumped off the landing and continued her joyful journey through the long hallway, her jubilant voice echoing.

_Love stared in awe at the beauty of the house. Everything seemed to shine; the marble floors, rich, dark mahogany crown molding and chair rails, the golden frames that bordered pastel paintings. Even the thick blue wallpaper, textured, was lined with threads of gold and glimmered in the light coming from elaborate sconces. _

The little girl turned into a large living room, as lushly decorated as the staircase and hall, and stopped. Her head turned to the left, then the right. "Mommy? Daddy?" Her voice lowered and shriveled. "It's my birthday."

A woman, her dark hair pulled back in a tight bun with no strands breaking free, lumbered in. Her body was large, round and soft-looking, and she wore a plain blue dress. The sleeves were short, and the skirt ended just below her knees. Not the height of fashion, its only accessory was a white apron that, rather than being separate, was part and parcel of the dress. She carried a pile of white towels.

_Love smiled. The white of the towels reminded her of home. _

"Jacqueline," the woman spoke in a heavily accented and rather deep voice. Her olive cheeks hinted of a flush, and her nearly black eyes darted in seemingly every direction.

The little girl turned, and her pretty face, just a few slight shades lighter than the woman's, struggled to hold a smile. "Martina, were are Mommy and Daddy? It's my birthday!"

"Si, si," the woman said. Her plump face widened further with a grin, but the eyes held tight to the vacancy of no understanding. She lifted the towels and gestured towards the doorway. "Si."

"Wait!" The little girl rushed to Martina and tugged on the blue skirt. "Don't you know where my mommy and daddy are?" She sighed with surprising impatience for a child so young. "Mama y papa?"

Martina nodded quickly. "Ah, mama y papa." She frowned. "No. No here, Jacqueline. No here." She reached down and patted the girl's head. "Feliz Cumpleaños, muchacha bonita. Te amo." She leaned down and kissed the top of Jacquline's head.

Jacqueline hung her head and shrugged tiny shoulders. "Te amo. Gracias." She turned and shuffled over to the couch, a huge thing compared to her. She climbed onto the lusty red leather upholstery and sat, her lower lip forced out in a pout. Her legs swung out, then back in, and she appeared to not mind how hard she kicked the couch with her heels.

Martina shook her head and headed towards the doorway, mumbling to herself, he her eyes lowered and closing frequently.

_Love looked at her guide. "That poor little girl. Are her parents not home? It's her birthday! If they're rich, shouldn't they be having a party for her, with mountains of presents?" _

_Paul merely raised an eyebrow. "Just watch." _

"Jackie?"

The girl's head shot up, her cheeks nearly instantly flushed, and her eyes brightened. "Mommy?" She jumped off the couch and ran towards the doorway she'd just walked in from, but when a woman walked in, her movement stopped. Her smile fell. Her eyes dulled. "Oh. I thought you were Mommy."

Another woman, this one only slightly less voluminous than Martina, joined the girl, the corners of her mouth rising a tiny bit. "I know, sweetums. But she left something for you." She held out an envelope.

Jackie sighed with obvious disappointment, but took what was offered. She opened it, and inside the card she didn't bother to read, there were two crisp, fifty dollar bills. "Money," she said with a reluctant smile.

_"She's supposed to be happy with money? She's what? Six years old?" _

_Paul nodded. "Five, actually." _

_Love grimaced and resumed her watch. What kind of parents left their only child alone on her fifth birthday? _

The woman wrapped an arm around the young shoulders. "Do you want to go shopping? I'm going to take the entire day off so we can spend all that money, however you want." She drew the little girl closer to her and laid her fifty-ish looking cheek on Jacqueline's head. "And then I'll come home, make your favorite dinner, and for dessert, we'll have that chocolate cake I baked for you. How does that sound?"

Every muscle in Jacqueline's face strained to keep from crying, and a forced smile lit her lips. "Okay, Katherine," she mumbled.

Katherine lifted the little face, and pecked Jacqueline's nose. "I'm looking forward to it, sweetums. So lets go have breakfast, and then we'll get ready to go." She stood, and pulled Jacqueline to her feet, clutching her hand the way one would clutch a child's while crossing a busy street.

Jacqueline tugged the woman to a stop. "Katherine?" She swallowed hard. "Why aren't my mommy and daddy home?"

Katherine's smile instantly disappeared, and her eyes raised to the ceiling. Her mouth opened, closed, opened again as the words struggled to form. "Well, Jackie, you know your mommy and daddy are very busy this time of you. They'd be here if they could." Her top teeth scraped over her lip before another bright smile eased the slight irritation of it. "They'll make it up to you. Now. Let's go, so we can spend that wonderful money!"

_Love watched as the little girl straggled along with her adult guide. An odd sensation, hot and cold, inspired what felt like millions of tiny bumps on her form. Jackie looked back, almost directly into Love's eyes, and she gasped. The tiny one's face was full of youth and yet etched with sadness and loneliness. Love turned to Paul. "Are her parents ever around? Oh holidays? Other birthdays? Just regular days?" _

_Her guide smiled, reached forward and again tapped the center of her chest. _

_And she knew. _

_**No. **_

_"Come. We have more to see." _

_**Jackie is in high school now. She's a sophomore. She's beautiful, like her mother, and calculating, like her father. Her passions are cheerleading, shopping, and…Michael Kelso.**_

"Michael, I thought you said you had a surprise for me!" A petite brunette, her ebony hair hanging long and luscious down in contrast to her white and green cheerleading sweater, stood in front of a row of school lockers, her hand firmly planted on her hip. "Where are the roses?"

_Love frowned. "Is her voice always so shrill?" _

_Paul nodded. "I'm afraid that's set in stone. No choice about it. I'll warn you now, certain things will be the same in each of your choices. Like Jackie's…your…voice." _

_Love shrugged. "Well, at least she looks good. She is beautiful! Wait, will that be the same in each choice?" _

_Paul chuckled and nodded. "Yes. You will be an extraordinarily beautiful woman." _

_She grinned. "Good!" _

Jackie shifted on her feet, her legs, while short, perfectly toned and shaped; a blended harmony of feminine sweetness and athletic strength. She arched a groomed eyebrow. "Well, Michael?"

A tall, lanky, quite handsome young man smiled down at her. His brown hair dusted his eyes, and he brushed it back.

_Love gasped. "Oh my goodness! Is that her boyfriend? He's so cute! That dark hair, dark eyes, chiseled face…" _

_Paul rolled his eyes. "Yes. He's good looking. Keep watching." _

"Yeah, that. Well, I was gonna get you flowers, but I found something better." He patted Jackie's shoulders, then backed up, his lean form surprisingly uncoordinated. He nearly tripped over his heels into the wall. "I'll be back."

Jackie rolled her eyes but stood there, waiting as Michael ducked into the boy's restroom. Her foot tapped almost violently on the floor as she did.

_Love giggled. "This better be good, or else I think she's going to have a fit." _

"Surprise!"

Michael dragged forward a nervous looking young man, quite a bit shorter than him, much darker skinned. He looked Mexican, or Spanish, or Portugese…something Latin or Mediterranean. Or Carribean. Or something.

Jackie stared at the boy, her eyebrows raised in disbelieving scorn. "Michael, who is this?"

"This is my new buddy, Fez." Michael leaned closer to Jackie. "That's not his real name. We just call him that 'cause we can't understand anything he says."

The boy approached her and spoke softly, something Jackie obviously didn't understand. She backed away, scowling. "Don't you speak English?" Her hand flew forwards toward Fez, and she glared at Michael. "_This_ is your surprise for me? A foreigner? God, Michael, you are so stupid!" She turned and stalked away, with such force her hair bounced nearly five inches above her back as she went.

Michael waved his hand after and turned to a wide-eyed Fez. "Don't worry, Fez. She's just mad 'cause I didn't give her another rubber chicken." He grinned and patted his backpack. "She'll cheer right up when she sees the chattering teeth I have for her! Come on!"

_"Wow," Love said, her own eyes as wide as the foreign boy's had been. "Is she going to end up with Michael? He's cute, but he just doesn't seem…" She paused. "I mean, he doesn't seem very…uh…" _

_Paul nods, an amused smile playing on his lips. "I know what you mean. And no, he's not the one she ends up with. You'll see who she ends up with soon enough." _

_Love didn't look at her guide. "Wait, she ends up with the other boy? But she obviously doesn't like him."_

_"Keep watching." _

**_A few weeks later, Jackie is hanging out with her group of friends, or rather, her boyfriend's group of friends. They're usual hangout is in Eric Forman's basement, where they watch television, listen to music, and do other things the parents upstairs wouldn't approve of, like sitting in a smoky circle. _**

"Michael," Jackie said, her voice tight and demanding as she led her boyfriend by the hand towards the back entrance of the Forman basement. They approached the driveway, where Fez and another boy, Steven Hyde, were playing basketball. She tugged on the hand she held. "We are _not_ hanging out here for hours today. We're having dinner with my parents and you need to go home and clean yourself up." She stopped walking, dropped his hand and turned to face him, pointing a thin index finger at the meek Michael. "We're just gonna get your stuff and go. Got it?" She poked him in the chest.

Kelso released a sigh that sounded as if he'd done exactly that millions of times. "Fine, but after dinner, we're totally doing it! You promised!"

She smiled sweetly and rose to her toes, hardly able to reach the bending Michael's cheek. "Thank you, honey. Now come on."

Just as she turned, the boys playing basketball stopped, and Steven Hyde, a curly-haired, nicely built though dirty looking guy with sunglasses and an angry frown on his face, dressed in jeans, a tee shirt and a jean jacket, stuck his foot out directly in Jackie's path.

_Love frowned and reached for her guide's arm. "Why is he doing that?" _

Jackie stumbled over the unseen foot, and although her arms searched the air for balance, she fell to the ground, landing on her knees with a small cry.

"Oops, didn't see the cheerleader. Must be because she's the size of a troll. Wait, she _is_ a troll." The curly haired guy grinned as he watched her sink back to her behind on the cement.

Michael laughed. "BURN! Man, Hyde, that was _classic_!"

_Love's frown grew deeper, and something in the center of her – her heart, she reminded herself – ached. She watched the poor girl look up at the dirty boy with tear filled eyes, just briefly before she closed them and rubbed her knees. "Why did he try to hurt her?" she asked softly. She frowned. Steven Hyde was watching Jackie as she examined the torn knee of her jeans, and his smirk was gone. Love trembled; she could see through the sunglasses, and his eyes seemed…sad. "Why does he look sad? He did that to her. And he laughed, but now he looks said." _

_Paul sighed. "Steven Hyde is complicated, Love, and you really shouldn't worry about him or why he does the things he does." He paused, and his voice lowered. "She scares him." _

_Love made a face. "That tiny little girl scares him?" _

_Paul held up a hand. "Enough. Sheesh, you're as bad as he was. Always asking questions." He gestured towards the group of kids. "When I guided…" He shook his head. _

_Love furrowed her brow. "When you guided who?" He said nothing, and she tugged on his robe. "When you guided WHO?" _

_"Never mind. Be quiet, Love, and watch. It doesn't matter who I've guided in the past. What matters…." He clenched his teeth. "Is that I'm guiding you now. So watch." _

_She sighed and turned her attention back to the kids. Steven Hyde was still staring at Jackie while Michael continued to laugh rather than helping her up. And Steven was swallowing. Love thought she noticed his_ _arm twitch, move forward as if he was tempted to offer her help to her feet._

_But he didn't, and when Kelso elbowed him, grinning, the deadly smirk was back._

Jackie pulled herself together and the initial wince of pain and embarrassment morphed into utter disgust. She didn't say a word, nor throw a glance to Steven Hyde. Instead, she glared at Michael. "Michael, help me up."

He kept laughing, hard, as if he would never stop. "I…god, Jackie, you should have seen your arms! You looked like some…some…monkey or something!" He imitated her, flailing his arms wildly, with insane motions.

Fez, all the while frowning as he stood near Hyde, shook his head angrily and took the few steps to the damsel in distress. "That is not how you talk to a woman." He looked down at Jackie and held a hand towards her. "I will help you up, Jackie."

At first, she stared at the foreign hand, her eyes cold. But after a moment, she looked at his face, and her own softened into a slight smile of gratitude. She took the hand, and he gently helped her to her feet. "Thank you, Fez."

He beamed, clearly enamored by her attention, for the half a second it lasted.

She turned a nasty look to her boyfriend. "As for you, Michael, you know what I promised? Yeah. You can forget that." She linked her arm through a pleased and proud Fez's, and gave Michael her best smirk. "For the next year." She turned to Fez. "Come on, Fez. I'll let you walk me home."

Fez visibly trembled, his lips twitching. "Oh! My first time to walk a girl home!" His eyes danced wildly, and the two took off.

Michael frowned at the duo. "Hey! You can't just…" He turned back and glared at Hyde. "Damn, Hyde! You always get me in trouble with her!" He stomped off after Fez and Jackie.

_Love didn't watch him, she watched Hyde._

His smile again faded, and he shook his head, looking down at the ground. He tapped the basketball with his foot, then kicked it hard. It sailed into the Forman's backyard. He rolled his eyes, and looked disgusted. "God, why is he with her?" he muttered. A sarcastic grin crossed his face for half a second. "Why is she with him?"

_Love shook her head as Hyde stalked off towards the house. "Why does he hate her so much?" When he turned from the sliding glass door, staring back at the driveway for no apparent reason, she looked at him. His sunglasses were dark, but she'd already learned that if she really looked, she could see through them. His eyes were blue, and foggy. Sad. "Why is he so sad?"_

_Paul lifted his shoulders. "Steven Hyde is complicated."_

_"Why do I want to know more about him?"_

_Paul looked away, then back at her. "I don't know. I will tell you that he is not the one Jackie ends up with. He is not Jackie's life mate."_

_Love nodded. Hyde turned away, retreated into the house, and she shrugged. "Well, obviously," she said. "I mean, he hates her, and treats her badly. He just tried to hurt her. On purpose." Heat flushed her cheeks and she nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad he's not the one. He's just a dirty jerk." She took a deep breath. "Are we done here?"_

_"Yes. Come along."_

_**Jackie's best friend is a girl named Donna Pinciotti, who is Jackie's opposite in most ways. They're friendship isn't exactly…conventional, but it seems to work. They spend a lot of time together sitting on the front porch of Donna's boyfriend Eric's house. Don't ask me why they don't sit on Donna's front porch. It could be because of her father's tendency to get the morning paper and the afternoon mail in nothing but leopard print briefs.** _

"So Fez yelled at Michael," Jackie said, a smile on her face. "He told him that he isn't a real man if he lets his best friend treat me that way."

Donna, a tall redheaded girl whose fashion sense was much less feminine and refined than her tiny friend, nodded. "Not surprising, since he calls you his goddess."

Jackie's eyes lit up. "Really? He calls me a goddess?"

_Love raised her eyebrows. "Wait, Jackie has one eye blue, the other green." She smiled. "That's neat!"_

_"Yes." Paul stared at the earthly Jackie and softly smiled. "She is a beautiful girl."_

_Love elbowed him. "Hey!"_

_Paul grinned. "Hey, I'm an angel, but I'm still a man!"_

Donna chuckled and made a face. "I shouldn't have told you. Now you're head is going to swell to the size of the moon."

"Oh, please, Donna. I mean, maybe it would if a guy like Steven said that about me. But Fez is a foreigner. He doesn't really count." Jackie looked away and didn't notice the impatience flashing in Donna's eyes. "I mean, Steven is a real man. He really knows who he is. Not like Michael." She stared out at the street. "Has Steven said anything about me ever? " Her right hand rested on top of her left, and she began rubbing her fingertips over her knuckles.

Donna opened her mouth, then closed it, and her eyes wandered as she searched for something to say that wouldn't completely shatter Jackie's wishful heart. "Well, I mean…not really, Jackie. He's always too busy making out with those skanks he doesn't…date."

Jackie nodded, her eyes lowering.

_Love shook her head, feeling a bit annoyed with Jackie. "Wait, she has a crush on Steven Hyde, doesn't she? Why? He hates her! And she has a boyfriend! I mean, yeah, he's not the world's brightest bulb, but he's cute, and he treats her….well, sometimes he doesn't treat her like he should, but generally he's a nice guy. Unlike Steven Hyde." She threw up her hands. "God, why does she like Hyde? He hates her! He HATES her!"_

_Paul smiled benignly at her tirade. "The heart is the most mysterious thing in life, Love. Even an angel cannot explain it. Just remember, she doesn't end up with Steven Hyde."_

_"So…it's just a crush?"_

_"Some would say that."_

_Paul led her away, and Love followed, still stewing about this Steven Hyde. He was nothing but a jerk. And it was fine, because Jackie, **SHE, **would never be with him._

_"Thank God," she muttered._

_There must be someone better, she decided. A man of every girl's dreams. Jackie definitely deserved that. After all, she was beautiful and rich._

_"And she does dress really well," Love told herself, thinking of the pretty dress Jackie had been wearing._

_Yes. Jackie was destined for the perfect love._

_Love smiled. '**I'm** destined for the perfect love.'_


	3. Choice One So Sweet

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice One – Point Place, Wisconsin – So Sweet _

**_A year has passed. Jackie, after realizing that her boyfriend Michael is a habitual cheater, has just broken up with him. In order to nurse her broken heart, she does what she does best; she goes shopping._**

Jackie walked along, occasionally lifting a sweet smile to the surprisingly placid looking young man moving beside her. "Hyde, those boots look really nice on you."

He looked down. "You know, Jackie, you buying me boots is just wrong. Should've let me shoplifted 'em." He grinned.

She laughed. "No, Hyde, I want you to have them. Besides, I'm saving a fortune now that I don't have to feed and clothe Michael." The smile on her lovely face exploded into an "o" of excitement, and she turned to Hyde, taking his arm. "So I was thinking tomorrow night? We should, you know…"

"Whoa, okay, alright now, come on, now Jackie." Hyde pulled away from her, his expression both amused and fearful. "This was a one time only thing, alright? And if you're trying to bribe me with these boots, man, you can just take 'em back." He looked away, towards a group of girls, and a slight smirk came to his lips. "Look, why don't you just keep shopping 'till you feel better and I'll just see you later."

_Love frowned and instinctively stepped forward. Jackie needed him; it was all over her falling face. "Wait, he's just going to leave her?" _

_Paul sighed. "Right now, he's just…well, just watch." _

_Love crossed her arms over her chest. She felt warm, as if something inside was beginning to boil._

Jackie grabbed Hyde's hand and pulled him back, ignoring the roll of his eyes. "But Hyde, I thought we'd agreed that you were alone, and I was alone…" Her voice shuddered with thick tears. "I thought we could…" She closed her eyes and looked down a t the ground, her hand releasing his and her arm falling limply to her side.

Hyde ran his hand through his curly mop of hair and sighed loudly. "Look, I know you're going through a hard time with Kelso and all, but…" His shoulders lifted and fell casually. "I just really don't like you, Jackie. At all. And I don't wanna hang out with you." He shook his head. "I've definitely had my fill of you for the day, okay?"

She looked up, and the tears in her eyes made their mismatched colors disappear. "Oh." Her cheeks rapidly paled, then filled with embarrassed pink. "I see."

Hyde looked apologetic, but apparently decided not to give into it. "So…yeah. I'm just gonna go now."

He walked off towards the group of girls, and Jackie watched, her face crumbling. "You don't wanna hang out with me, but you'll let me buy you dinner and boots," she muttered. She dropped her eyes into her hands and her shoulders shook. "Pretty much all I'm good for. Buying stuff."

_Love clenched her hands. "What a jerk! I can't believe he treated her that way!" _

_But despite her anger, she noticed that Hyde turned back to Jackie, his face fixed in self-shame. He took a hesitant step back towards her, but aborted it. It left Love confused; he was a complete jerk for what he'd said to her, but why did he seem to want to take it all back? And why hadn't he if he'd wanted to? She shook her head, her mind spinning. "That poor girl…what is she going to do now?" _

_"You'll see." _

The shaken girl pulled herself together quickly, with a defiant toss of her black hair over her shoulder. She shot a nasty look that could kill towards Hyde and the flirtatious girls, and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Her slight body, hints of womanhood beginning to blossom, moved with more energy than ten suns. Just as she reached the exit of Point Place Mall, she bumped into someone. "Get out of my way, you jerk," she hissed, but when she saw who it was, the flash in her eyes faded.

"I am sorry, Jackie," Fez said. "Did I hurt you? I did not see you. I was thinking about candy." He smiled toothily, like a little boy. "That is where I am heading, the candy store. Do you want to come with me? I will buy you gummy bears."

Jackie shook her head, but then smiled. "Do you want to go for a drive with me, Fez? Maybe up to Mount Hump?"

Fez's eyes widened. "Mount Hump? You mean, where people go to…" His wide eyes took on a gleeful gleam. "Do it?"

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, whatever. Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him away.

_Love stared. "Wait a second. She just broke up with Michael. She just tried to get Hyde to like her, and now she's taking Fez to some make out spot? Is there some sort of law that says she has to have a boyfriend at all times?"_

_Paul smiled. "Jackie is not good at being alone. Probably because of her father." _

_Love nodded. "That's right. Her father is never around." It made sense. Jackie needed male attention to make up for the lack of her father's. _

_"Let's keep watching." _

Fez sat in the passenger seat of the white Lincoln, anxiously watching the girl beside him. He shifted in his seat repeatedly, and tapped his fingers on his thighs as she talked.

"And I thought Steven was different, but he's just the same as Michael. A stupid jerk who only wants me around so I can buy something for him. Then he runs away towards the first blonde skank he sees. Just like Michael. God, are all guys like that?" She whipped her head, complete with fire in her eyes, in Fez's direction. "Fez, if there was a blonde whore standing outside right now, would you go to her and leave me all alone?"

He smiled nervously. "Um, no, of course not." He waived his hand. "I do not even like blonde skanks." His smile became steady and seductive, and his eyes slid up and down Jackie. "I like dark haired angels with skin the color of olives."

_"Skin the color of olives?" _

_"He means olive-toned skin." _

_"Oh." _

"Oh, Fezzy, you're so sweet." Jackie reached for and took his hand, but her sweet smile faded. "Unlike those two dillholes." She stared out the windshield at the twilight sky.

Fez smiled down at their joined hands. "Your hand is so tiny, Jackie, and soft. Just like you."

She smiled at him. "You know, Fez," she said, her voice lowering and turning sexy. She scooted closer to him. "If you were to kiss me right now, I wouldn't push you away." She lightly licked her lower lip. "Or slap you. In fact…" She moved another few inches to him. "I might just kiss you back." She laughed when he looked at her with both uncertainty and eagerness. "I mean it, Fez, so…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a Fez unwilling to let his chance pass him by leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

_Paul took hold of Love's arm. "Come on. We need to go."_

_She glared at him. "But I want to see what happens between them!" _

_"You will. I promise. Now come with me. We're not going far." _

**_It's now a day later. After a sweet kiss that led to little and awkward conversation, Jackie took Fez home and the two haven't spoken to one another since. Now they find themselves in the Forman basement, none of their friends around, standing in front of one another. _**

Jackie shuffled her weight between each foot and tried to meet Fez's eyes. "I, uh…" For the first time in her life, she couldn't think of anything to say. It was just so…weird. The kiss had been so nice, one of the softest and sweetest kisses she'd ever had, and yet, the instant it was over, she'd felt ashamed.

Fez took a deep breath. He knew the story. He knew Jackie. And though he'd tried to find a way to change the situation in his mind, he had not been able to. "you don't have to say it, Jackie. I know you are not ready for another relationship. Yo uare still hurting because of Kelso." He smiled weakly. "And I do not want to be just a rebound guy for you. I do not want you to be with me just until someone better comes along."

She looked down. "I'm sorry, Fez. I didn't mean to make you feel…"

"No. No. You needed comfort." He stepped towards her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't mind. I'm your friend, Jackie, and if you need me, I will be there for you." He grinned. "And if that involves kisses that don't lead to anything, I'm still in."

She giggled and lifted teary eyes to his. "Thank you, Fez. I just…Michael…I still love him, and I just don't…" She shook her head and thrust herself into Fez's arms, mumbling against his shoulder. "Thank you for being there for me."

He smiled and kissed the side of her head. "Anything for you, my goddess."

_Love sighed, smiling. "She should definitely be with him. He's so sweet, and he really cares about her. He takes care of her the way she obviously needs to be." _

_Paul nodded. "Yes, he does seem to be good for her. But before you start thinking that he's perfect, come with me." _

**_About a year later, Jackie has moved on from Michael. With Steven Hyde. _**

_"What? With that Hyde guy? The one who abandoned her at the mall?" Love wasn't sure how to feel. He was a jerk, yeah, but there was something about him. Something more than just that about him. And she couldn't figure out what it was. "I don't know if that's such a good thing." _

_Paul sighed with tried patience. "You really need to stop interjecting. We'll never get through all of this is you keep it up!" _

_Love looked down, embarrassed. "Sorry." _

**_As I was saying, Jackie has moved on with a new love, Steven Hyde. Her home life is not so pleasant. Her errant mother is somewhere in Mexico, soaking herself in the sun and tequila. Her father has been sent to prison, convicted of bribery. After secretly living with Steven in the Forman basement for a few weeks, Jackie moves in with her best friend Donna. _**

"I'm sorry about earlier, you know, me and Steven making out on your bed." Jackie fussed with her comforter, tucking herself into the small cot she now slept in. She smiled up at the ceiling. "No, you know what? I'm not. 'Cause if you knew what an amazing kisser Steven is, you'd understand."

Donna sat up in her bed and threw one of her throw pillows across the room at Jackie. Jackie giggled and threw it back, but it hit the side of Donna's bed and tumbled to the floor. "Nice arm there, ace."

Jackie stuck her tongue out. "Whatever, lumberjack. Steven is more concerned with other parts of me than my arm."

Donna groaned and turned the light on her nightstand off. "Please, Jackie. I'm glad you and Hyde are happy and all, but I don't wanna hear anything about what parts of you he's concerned with, okay?" She settled herself into bed. "Night, midget."

Jackie lay down and grinned, her eyes closed in sensual thoughts of her boyfriend. "Night, lumberjack."

A few minutes of quiet passed, until the door to Donna's closet opened. The noise startled both girls, and they both sat up. Donna turned on the light and they stared at the now open closet door.

An angry looking Fez stood there, tossing glares to each of the girls. "Well, if you're not going to talk about your sex lives or have a sexy naked pillow fight, I am just going to leave."

Donna threw her pillow at him. "Fez, I thought you were gonna quit hiding in my closet now that you're with Nina."

Jackie raised her eyebrow at Donna, clutching her comforter up to her chest. "This is a regular thing?" She looked at Fez in disgust. "Ewww, have you watched Eric and Donna…"

Fez nodded curtly. "Yes, and it is not as disgusting as it sounds." He smiled sweetly at Donna. "Donna is quite talented."

She rolled her eyes. "Again, Fez, what about your _girlfriend_?"

"Oh, she and I have an agreement."

Jackie sighed. "Let me guess. She doesn't know."

He nodded again. "Exactly. Now. If you'll excuse me, I'll just be leaving."

The girls stared at one another, shaking their heads as Fez left.

"He's gonna end up being some sort of sex offender."

Jackie nodded. "That's a given."

_Love shook her head, puzzled, as the girls settled back into their beds and readied themselves for sleep. "So…Fez has a girlfriend, but he hides in Donna's closet? To watch her…sleeping? Changing?" She looked at Paul. "That's just…" She felt mildly prickly, like some slimy creature was crawling just below her form's surface. Her nose scrunched up. "Creepy. It makes me feel…" She brushed off her left arm. "Dirty."_

_Paul shrugged. "It's just one of his quirks." _

_Love stared at him. "Okay, but he doesn't do that when he's with Jackie, does he? I mean, she's his true love. You told me they end up together." _

_Paul took Love's arm. "Come. You have much more to see in Point Place." _


	4. Choice One The Hook

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice One – Point Place, Wisconsin – The Hook _

_**It's been two years, and much has changed in Point Place. Eric Forman, the glue of the gang, is in Africa. Michael Kelso lives in Chicago, near his young daughter. Jackie and Steven Hyde hardly speak except to taunt one another with unabashed mutual hate. Her friendship with Donna is fading. She has no job, no boyfriend, no real dreams or plans for the future. **_

_**The one thing that hasn't changed is that our Jackie isn't good at being alone… **_

The late December afternoon deceived, teasing Point Place residents with a taste of spring. A sky of blue that rivaled the most pristine ocean's tint, a sun that kissed the air with soothing warmth. Jackie walked leisurely through the park, gazing upwards, and as she had as a child, she counted the shapely white clouds that gave the heavens depth.

Fez walked next to her, his eyes fixated on her. His lips turned up at the corners. "You're smiling," he said quietly, his demeanor mellowed by the serene weather. "It's so good to see you smile again, Jackie."

Jackie shrugged but didn't look at him; kept her eyes raised to the peace around her. She held his arm. No need to worry about falling, because he was there. He'd guide her, he'd make sure she was safe. She had every faith in that. The past few months, he'd proven that to her. "I feel okay. I mean, really okay." She lowered her head and gave him a small grin. "For the first time in a long time."

Fez nodded and squeezed the hand resting on his arm. "It's been a rough year for you, what with Hyde running off to Vegas and marrying a slutty stripper instead of you."

_Love gasped. "What? What happened between Jackie and Hyde? He married someone else?" _

_Paul nodded. "Not intentionally. Jackie gave him an ultimatum, marriage or break up, but left before he could give her an answer. Then…well, in the end, he wound up in Las Vegas, drunk and married to a woman he'd met in a strip club. Of course, he didn't know he'd gotten married until she showed up a month later in Point Place." _

_"And he stayed with her?" _

_Paul shook his head, his expression tight, then nodded, avoiding Love's gaze. "He stayed with her." _

_Love looked down to her middle. It felt tight and tense, full of knotty type things that hurt. "Instead of working things out with Jackie." Odd, that she was so disappointed, considering she'd seen previously that he was a jerk. She looked back at the couple on earth and studied Jackie. Something was off. The girl looked tired, less colorful, less vibrant than she'd been before. It was as if some life force had been pulled out of her. "Is she really okay?" _

_"Watch." _

"And of course your best friend becoming best friends with Hyde's whore of a wife, having sleepovers and topless pillow fights with her." Fez smiled weakly when Jackie glared at him. "Okay, so they did not do that." He looked away, his eyes misting over. "Except in my dreams." His eyes closed. "Oh, I really love those dreams!"

_Love raised an eyebrow. "Is it me, or is Fez a big pervert?" _

_Paul chuckled. "Believe me, it's not just you." _

Jackie sighed and stopped walking, turning to her friend. "Okay, look, Fez. I'm over Steven. Completely over him. So he married someone else. So he told me he didn't know if he could see a future with me and then committed himself to a whore. So he acts like he never loved me at all…" She trailed off, and for a moment, her eyes threatened to release a tsunami of tears. But with a shake of her shoulders, a toss of her hair, a brilliant smile, she eradicated the moment. "I'm over Steven." Her stance softened, and she took Fez's hand, smiling genuinely. "And it's because of you. You've been there for me since it happened, and no one else has. Fez, just…thank you."

Fez smiled and again squeezed her hand, but his eyes darted from her face, his smile hesitated on his lips. He pulled his hand away from her and began to walk forward. "I am glad that you are feeling better, Jackie."

She frowned and quickly caught up to him. She took his elbow and stopped him from abandoning her. "Fez, where are you going?"

He turned to her, his eyes now muddled with guilt. "Oh, Jackie, I cannot hide anything from you. I have to tell you this." He took a deep breath, took her hands, took another breath that rasped. "I am going back to my country. I miss it, and I want to see my parents. It has been such a long time."

Jackie's face instantly paled, and her hands dropped from his hold. "Wh…what?" Her mouth remained open, moving slightly with words her throat simply couldn't function enough to give sound to. She blinked rapidly, as if she couldn't possibly be seeing what she seemed to be. "You…You can't leave, Fez." Her voice shook, but after a deep breath, she found some sort of determination. She took hold of his hands again. "You can't leave me, Fez. I need you."

"But Jackie, I really want to…"

"I love you! I love you, Fez!"

_Love gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. She stared, her eyes opening wide in the hopes of catching every single detail of the moment. "Does she really…" _

_"Watch." _

"You…you love me?"

Jackie's head slowly moved up and down, though her eyes suddenly refused to meet his eager stare. "I…" She swallowed. "Yes."

Fez's chest heaved, and began to walk circles around Jackie. His face glowed, not from the sunlight, not from the birds singing all around him. "I have been waiting for years for you to say that, Jackie, and now I…I cannot believe this!" He stopped in front of her and took her shoulders, looking intently into her eyes. "Do you mean it, Jackie? Do you really love me?"

Jackie gave a tight and uncomfortable smile. "Yes, Fez, I really…love you."

"And if I stay in Point Place, you will be my girlfriend?"

Another nod. "Yes."

"Then I will, baby. For you. I will stay." He threw his arms around her and pulled her to him. "I will stay!"

Jackie hugged him, but as her head rested on his shoulder, the smile on her face faded. She stared off into space, her eyes unfocused, uncertain.

_Love turned to Paul. "Does she really love him? Because it doesn't seem like she really does." Her brow furrowed. "But she has to, since she ends up with him." _

_Paul reached for her hand. "She does end up with him, that's true. Come on." _


	5. Choice One Not So Sweet

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice One – Point Place, Wisconsin – Not So Sweet _

**_It's a few days later, and Jackie is out on her first official date with Fez. _**

_Love looked down into Jackie's empty bedroom. "She's not there. What am I supposed to be seeing?"_

_"Focus on the desk. She's left her journal open. Read it." _

_Love nodded and quickly found the book. Without trying, her vision zoomed in so that the book was close enough for her to read. _

**Tonight is my first date with Fez. I'm nervous. I don't really know how I feel about him. I told him that I loved him, but I was panicked. I couldn't think of anything else to say, and I figured if I said that, he'd stay. I was right. Of course. But now I don't know what to do. I do care about him. He's been my best friend this year. I just don't know if it's more than that.**

**Maybe it will be. Maybe if I just give it time. I'll feel that way. After all, he's the only one who really and truly cares about me. And I was thinking. He is perfect. He's a gentleman. He has a good sense of humor. He buys me stuff and he gives me compliments all the time. He loves talking about women's shoes, What more could I want in a guy?**

**I'm going to try. I can fall in love with him. I know I can. I just hope he stops with the whole hiding in Donna's closet thing. After all, if he's going to be with me, Jacqueline Burkhart, he sure as hell better not be looking at other women!**

_Love nodded. "I kind of thought she wasn't exactly head over heels in love with him. But she will be, right? I mean, people end up with their true love. That has to be how it happens." _

_Paul shrugged. "Not necessarily. Come now. The date is over." _

Donna Pinciotti sat up in her darkened bedroom, her heart beating so quickly she could see her chest moving. The noise that had startled her out of sleep had stopped, but now she heard a slight whimpering. She rolled her eyes and threw back the blankets. Standing up and stalking over to her closet, she mumbled obscenities. She reached forward to pull open the door, and as she expected, when she did, Fez tumbled out. He landed in a shadowy heap at her feet. "God, Fez! I thought this was over! What about Jackie? Didn't you have a date with her tonight?"

Fez nodded and stumbled to his feet. "Yes, yes, but she does not put out on the first date. I was hoping that you and Eric would be putting on a show." He smiled wickedly. "Or that you would put Al Green on, light a few candles and make a night of it." He nodded. "Yes, that would actually be better. Get to it, Donna!"

She punched his arm. "Shut up, dillhole!" She pointed a the now cowering Fez. "And get out of here, or I'll tell Jackie about this."

"Oh, Jackie and I have an understanding."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Spare me, Fez."

_Love glared at the unaware Fez. "Why? He just got together with Jackie, and he's still hiding in another woman's closet? Is that normal? Is that what men do?" _

_Paul shook his head. "It's what Fez does. And, sadly, that's not all he does." _

**Two months later, Jackie and Fez have settled into a relationship. Both seem happy. But of course, all is not as it seems. **

Jackie stood in the doorway of her boyfriend's bedroom, glaring at the sight in front of her. "Fez," she said coldly, her hands clenched into fists. "Are you gonna tell me what in the hell you're doing under those disgusting magazines?" A slufh born at her jaw line crept upwards, quickly filling her cheeks. She took a few steps forward. "Fez, I see you. I know you're doing…something."

The mountain of Playboy magazines shifted, and Fez broke through them. His hair was a mess, black tufts sticking out all over his head. He wore no shirt, was obviously completely naked underneath the glossy pictures of equally naked women. "Jackie," he said, his voice quivering. "I was expecting you to be gone much longer."

She crossed her arms and sent a glare his way with cutting power that rivaled the world's deadliest machete. "I see I've interrupted you. Would you like me to leave and come back later?"

He nodded. "Would you mind? I still have…a few…issues to…" His voice trailed off and he shrank backwards, away from the approaching and threatening Jackie.

"Why do you need these stupid magazines?" she asked bitterly, picking one up and throwing it across the room. The flush was all over her face, in full force, and even her eyes reflected it. "Am I not enough for you? Is that it? Or are you really just the creepy pervert everyone says you are?"

Fez, apparently startled out of meek embarrassment by her harshly uttered words, returned her nasty glare and pointed at her. "When you agreed to be my girlfriend, Jackie, you knew that I have needs. And since you have not been willing to take care of them for me, I have to resort to this!"

Jackie shook her head. "I told you that I'm not ready yet, Fez, and you promised to not pressure me." Her voice rose. "But you keep pressuring me! Steven never pressured me!" She shook her head and turned, then immediately turned back. "And if you ever, EVER want me to be willing to take care of your needs, Fez, you better get rid of those things! Or else it'll just be you and your hand for the rest of your life!"

She turned and stomped out of the room.

Fez rose to his knees, knocking magazine after magazine to the floor. "Lady, you are not the boss of me! I will keep them! And I will keep on using them, too!" He closed his eyes, but the breath he took didn't sooth him. "And just so you know, I will also keep hiding in Donna's closet! So THERE, you bitchy tease who will not fulfill my needs!"

He was answered with the slamming of the apartment door, so hard it shook his bedroom walls. He shivered and slumped back down to his bed.

_Love's middle felt twisted, those knots she'd sensed earlier now tighter and tugging. She rubbed it, but the pain didn't go away. "That was a one time thing, right?"_

_Paul rubbed small circles on her back. "No. As I told you before, it's one of Fez's quirks. That wasn't the first time they've argued about his 'needs', nor was it the last." _

_"Doesn't it make her feel bad?" _

_"Yes." _

_"Doesn't he know that?" _

_"Yes." _

_"Why doesn't he stop? Why does she stay with him?" _

_"I can answer the second question." Paul led her down time a little bit. "Look. This is the day after." He pointed towards the opening, and Love looked immediately. _

It had been a long day, and Jackie walked into her apartment praying tha tFez wasn't home yet. She'd spent the day applying for various jobs; jobs she dreaded and knew were beneath her, yet jobs she desperately needed. She couldn't keep sweeping hair at the salon without losing her sanity. "Fez?" she called, looking around as she tossed her jacked on the couch. Normally, she wouldn't treat her gorgeous suede coat that way, but today she was to damn tired to care. She got no answer, and smiled in relief. "Thank god."

She headed for her bedroom, planning on taking her clothes off and soaking in a bath for about an hour, maybe two. At least until all the tension in her back was gone. But her plans were forgotten when she entered her room, and she gasped in surprise. On her nightstand was a glass vase full of velvet red roses. She covered her heart with her hand and walked to them. "Oh, Fez," she murmured, fingering one of the blooms. It was so soft, softer than silk, softer than suede, and smelled a million times sweeter. She noticed a folded piece of paper and plucked it out.

**Jackie, **

**I am so sorry about yesterday. I was a jerk, and deserve your anger. I hope these roses make up for my stupidity. I love you, you are my dream come true, and I promise you that I will do better fro now on. If you forgive me, meet me at the water tower tonight at 7:30. I have something special planned for you. **

**Love,**

**Fezzy **

Jackie sighed and closed her eyes. Her throat moved repeatedly, her lips trembled.

_"Does she believe him?" Love whispered, unsure of whether to do so herself. _

Jackie opened her eyes and again touched the flowers. "Well, they are beautiful," she told herself. "And…I'm sure he has another present waiting for me at the water tower."

_"She's trying to convince herself. Is that how it should b?" _

She smiled slightly, looking out of the window just a few feet away. "I wonder what he has for me." She took a deep breath and her smile grew. "Guess I'll find out!"

_As Jackie flew into action, running to her closet to pick out just the right outfit, Love felt the oddest sensation; her entire being was losing life the way a punctured balloon lost air. _

_Paul looked at her. "Are you all right?" _

_Love shrugged and stumbled backwards, away from Jackie's increasing exuberance. "It's just that…that's not how I thought true love would be. She's staying with him because he gave her flowers?" _

_"Jackie enjoys presents. In her mind, they make up for a lot, well, just about anything. Bear in mind, that's how she was raised." _

_Love sighed. "I guess it's kind of sweet that he gave her roses. I imagine that Hyde never gave her anything at all." _

_Paul smiled sadly. "He never gave her flowers. She loves flowers. Fez is much more willing to cater to her materialistic desires." _

_"And she likes that." Love nodded, though she still felt that deflation inside. Part of her was escaping her grasp, somehow. "So I guess she'll be happy with him, despite his…" Love gestured towards the scene below. "Quirks." _

_"You don't sound convinced." _

_Love rolled her eyes. "I just…I don' t know. I mean, what do I know about love? Nothing. It just doesn't feel like what true love should." _

_Paul took her hand. "Just remember, I never said it was true love." He held up a hand when Love opened her mouth. "We have to go. It's time to see how they decide to make it forever." _


	6. Choice One Off Into the Sunset

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice One – Point Place, Wisconsin – Off Into the Sunset _

_**About two months have passed. Jackie and Fez are still together, still struggling with certain issues, but Fez has come up with the perfect solution.**_

The Forman basement slowly began to clear itself of smoke, leaving three young men sitting in their usual spots in the "circle" and bearing mellow smiles. The other, Fez, sat on the couch with a huge pout and glaring eyes. He shifted uncomfortably on his seat. "That did not work. I do not feel better."

Hyde, sitting to Fez's left, his face awash with relaxation, his features much softer than normal, shook his head. "Then something is really wrong with you, man. That's all I can say."

Michael Kelso grinned. "Yeah, well, Jackie's mad at him." His smile turned into a grimace of confusion. "Wait, why is that upsetting you, Fez? Jackie's always mad about something."

Hyde leaned forward to grab his beer off the coffee table. "Bitches always are." He took a sip and seemed unaware of the nasty glare Fez sent his way.

"She is mad at me because she found out I sLovecribed to Playboy." Fez crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I told her, lady, I will sLovecribe to whatever porno magazines I want to." He smiled sheepishly. "She did not like that."

Hyde shook his head after another draught of the beer he held as if it was as precious as a child. "Man, she's doing what she always does, Fez. She's trying to change you. You gotta fight her, otherwise she's gonna castrate you. You want my advice?" Fez gave a slight nod. "Get out while you still have your balls, man. That chick ain't worth it."

_Love shook her head. "Why is Hyde so bitter about Jackie? He's the one who left her. He's the one who broke her heart." _

_The angel sighed. "Maybe she broke his, too." _

_She flipped her head towards Paul. "Did she? How? What did she do?" _

_"It's not important. This is about Jackie and Fez." _

_She nodded, disappointed, and turned back to the scene below. _

Eric Forman grinned at Hyde. "May I suggest a plan that obviously works well. Head to Vegas and come home with a stripper wife."

Kelso laughed and pointed at Hyde. "BURN!"

Hyde just shook his head and concentrated on his beer.

Fez shook his head, and smiled. "No. I have a much better idea." He took a breath and looked around the circle at his friends, his fingers twisting together rapidly. "I am going to…propose to her." Three pairs of eyes instantly weighed on him, and his cheeks turned pink. "It is what she's always wanted, and if I give her what she wants all the time, she will not leave. She will forget about the Playboys." He nodded, growing more confident despite the disbelieving and disgusted looks his friends were giving him. "I have it all planned out. The only thing is…" He slumped back against the couch. "I do not have a ring. I cannot afford a ring." The pout returned. "Oh, why must I be just a shampoo boy?"

Eric, Kelso and Fez all started when Hyde slammed his beer down on the coffee table with such force the table shook, and streams of beer cascaded over the side of the can. He stood, his eyes dark and angry, focused on Fez. He pointed at the foreigner. "I oppose this unholy union. And if you don't have a ring, Fez, don't bother. You have no chance without a ring." He shook his head. "God, this has to be the dumbest idea you've ever had, man!"

The others were quiet as Hyde strode towards the back of the basement where his bedroom was. The door slammed, and Eric grinned weakly. "Well, I guess Hyde is not on board with your plan, Fez."

Fez frowned. "He is right, though. If I do not have a ring, my goddess will not say yes." He looked at Kelso. "What am I going to do?"

Kelso sighed and reached out to pat Fez's shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy. Eric and I will help you figure something out."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "We will?"

Fez glared at him. "Yes, you will!"

Eric shrugged. "Fine. Whatever."

_Paul looked at Love, who was staring down at the scene and not moving, only blinking slowly. "You look puzzled."_

_"I just…" She turned to her guide. "It just feels funny. He wants to propose marriage to her so she'll forget about his Playboy sLovecription? What about love, and wanting to be with her for the rest of his life? He didn't say anything at all about that." _

_"No, he didn't." _

_"And why is Hyde so angry about the idea? He really doesn't have a right to be." LOVE shook her head. "That guy is just…I don't know what to think of him." _

_Paul smiled. "Come on. You need to see something." _

Later that same day, Fez sat on the couch in his and Jackie's apartment, studying the ring he'd bought for twenty dollars at a pawn shop. It was nothing special, in fact, it wasn't even real gold. Had no diamond, no shine. More or less, it was a thin piece of metal wrapped into a circle. He tossed it to the coffee table. "My goddess will never accept that," he mumbled. "And then she will still remember the Playboys."

A knock on the door lifted his head, and he stood up, groaning slightly about his sad, sad life. When he opened the door, his eyes widened. "Hyde, what are you doing here?"

Hyde shrugged. "I need to talk to you, man. Can I come in?"

Fez nodded and stepped aside. He watched as Hyde walked in, his shoulders stiff and tense. "Is there something wrong?"

Hyde turned, reached into his pocket and pulled a small box out. He held it out to Fez. "Here. I was thinking…you need a ring for Jackie, right?"

Fez nodded slowly, and moved forward to take the box from Hyde. "Yes, but what is…" He opened the box and gasped. Inside was nestled a ring, a beautiful ring. Gleaming gold, topped off with a large, princess cut, glorious diamond. "Oh my god…this is exactly what my angel has always wanted!"

An emotion flashed across Hyde's face, almost too quickly to be discerned and definitely too quickly to be interpreted. "Yeah, well, there you go. It's yours."

Fez shook his head, his face twisting. "Where did you get this ring, Hyde?" He looked up, and Hyde avoided his eyes. "Did you…was it for Sam?"

Hyde grinned, too widely, and his nod was too enthusiastic. "Yeah, man, I bought it for Sam, but then she took off before I could give it to her."

Fez didn't believe him, and his shoulders dropped. "No. Wait…you…" Realization colored his face. "You bought this for Jackie last year, didn't you? When you went to Chicago to try to get her to come home?"

Hyde swallowed hard and closed his eyes briefly. "Look, man, it doesn't matter, okay? I don't need it, you do. All I was gonna do with it was pawn it. You might as well take it off my hands."

Fez shook his head. "I cannot give Jackie a ring that you bought for her."

"Why not? She doesn't know I bought it. And she doesn't ever have to know. Look, if it'll make you feel better, you can buy it from me."

Fez looked again at the ring. It was absolutely perfect. Color, cut, clarity, caret, all of it was made for his beautiful goddess. "May I pay you in candy?"

Hyde gave him a small grin. "Whatever, man."

Fez smiled at his friend. It was the perfect ring, and at this point, he was desperately in need of it. "Thank you, Hyde. I don't know why you're giving this to me, but…thank you." He moved to hug Hyde, but Hyde stepped back.

Hyde lifted a hand. "It's not a big deal, Fez, so don't get all girly about it." He walked past Fez to the door. "I'll see you around."

When the door closed, Hyde stopped, closing his eyes and tensing his jaw. His adam's apple bobbed in his throat, like he'd just done something impossibly hard.

_Love shook her head slowly. "Oh my god…." _

Hyde reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it, and stared down at something.

_"What is it?" Love whispered. Her focus zoomed in, and she gasped when she saw a picture of Jackie. "He keeps a picture of her in his wallet? Even though they broke up?" _

A tight and sarcastic smile crossed Hyde's lips as he continued to look at the picture. "At least I'll finally get to see you wear it," he muttered. He snapped the wallet shut, stuffed it back in his pocket, and with a scowl, took off.

_She was stunned. She couldn't seem to make herself move, and when she spoke, the words seemed to come from someone else. "He still loves her, doesn't he? That's why…that's why he gave the ring to Fez to give to Jackie." An aching sensation opened in the middle of her. "Does she ever find out about it?" _

_Paul shook his head. "She never finds out. She never knows." _

_"Does Fez ever pay him for it?" _

_"No." _

_Love closed her eyes. It was all so strange and complicated. And now she wasn't sure how to feel about Hyde, about Fez, about Fez and Jackie. _

_"Come. He's about to propose." _

The gazebo in Point Place's Central Park had been transformed into a romantic's dream. Strands of twinkle lights wrapped around each beam that supported the roof. On each of the six benches that lined the inside, candles of varying color and height sat, their flames dancing softly in the breeze. In the center of the gazebo, a blanket was spread, along with two long, lit taper candles and a picnic basket. Wine glasses, half full, were placed next to plates with the remains of dinner and dessert. Next to the dinner set up stood Jackie, her eyes wide and tearful. She stared down at her boyfriend, on one knee in front of her, clutching her left hand. "Fez…"

He smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. "Jacqueline, I love you. I have always loved you, and I want to be with you the rest of my life." He took his right hand off hers, still holding her with his left, and reached into his jacket pocket. He took the small box out, and somehow managed to open it with his nervous fingers.

Jackie's entire body trembled, but her eyes immediately honed in on the ring. The diamond, two carets, she guessed, shone silky silver like a miniature moon caught and held by solid gold robes. It was the ring of her dreams, and it was turning out to be the night of her dreams. All she could think about was how magic swirled around her, dizzying her to everything but the ring and the romantic setting. Fez's sweet and loving words.

He took the ring out, ignoring the slight pang of guilt in his stomach, and slowly slid it onto Jackie's slender ring finger. He looked up at her beautiful face, her eyes shining with tears, the sweetest Mona Lisa smile on her lips, and his heart jumped. "Jacqueline, will you marry me?"

There was no music, but Jackie heard a swirling rush of heralding trumpets, announcing her dream come true. She swayed on her feet, but quickly nodded, faster and faster. "Yes…yes….Fez, yes!"

Fez stood, and the couple kissed, long and lushly.

He drew back and smiled at her. "You really mean yes?"

Jackie laughed, her face flushed with life and love and excitement. "Yes! Oh, Fez, this is all so perfect! The gazebo, the dinner…" She lifted her left hand and her eyes widened with delight as she looked at her newest accessory. "And the ring. Oh my god, this is right out of my dreams!" She smiled lovingly at him and touched his cheek. "You know me so well." She leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on his lips. "I knew you were going to be the perfect boyfriend, and now you're going to be the perfect husband!"

Fez hugged her, but as he did, a flash of guilt lit his face.

"I love you, Fez."

He smiled and closed his eyes. The guilt was gone. "I love you, too, my sweet goddess."

_Love frowned. "But he didn't buy her that ring. Hyde did. Hyde is the one who knows her." She looked at Paul. "She should know that!" _

"_Maybe so, but she doesn't. And she won't." _

_She shook her head, her expression sad. "I don't know how to feel. Fez is sweet, and romantic, and he clearly cares about Jackie. But…he's keeping a secret." Her brow furrowed. "Wait, if Hyde still loves Jackie, why doesn't he fight for her?" _

_The angel looked away. "Hyde has his own issues. Let's just say he believes, rightly or wrongly, that she will be better off without him. Happier with someone else." _

_Love stared at himl. "So…he loves her, but he wants her to be with someone else? So she'll…so she'll be happy?" Love looked back at Fez and Jackie. "That's why he gave Fez the ring. So she'll get what she always wanted, and so she'll love Fez." Her voice cracked slightly. "He's sacrificing himself for her." _

_"He's being himself."_

_"Why doesn't Fez give up his Playboys for her? He knows it bothers her."_

_Paul took Love's arm. "He doesn't have to. He always finds a way to make it up to her."_

_She shook her head, puzzled. "I just…I don't know what to think. I want to be happy for Jackie. Fez is a decent guy. It just feels…weird."_

_"I want to show you one more thing. Come."_

_**Two months later, three months before their wedding, Fez and Jackie have decided to move to Chicago. Jackie will be attending college, and Fez will be attending beauty school. This weekend, they are taking a short trip to search for a place to live. **_

_**And to one, it means the very, very end.** _

"What do you need to talk to her about, Hyde?" Fez asked, standing near the downstairs door of the Forman basement, one arm slung possessively over his fiancée's shoulder.

Hyde stood in front of his chair, an uncomfortable look on his face. "It's not a big deal, I just…" He looked at Jackie.

She seemed to get it, and she turned a smile to Fez. "It's okay, Fez. Just give us a minute, okay?"

Fez nodded. "Fine. But only a minute." He turned to Jackie, took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, more to make a point than out of any romantic desire.

_Love noticed Hyde look away. "He's still not over her." She turned to Paul. "Does he ever get over her?" _

_"Watch." _

Fez let Jackie go and pointed at Hyde. "No funny stuff, Hyde." He looked at Jackie, back at Hyde, and then turned and left. The door closed softly behind him.

The two ex-lovers stood in awkward silence, looking at one another with slightly forced smiles.

Hyde cleared his throat and shifted on his feet, his eyes darting but always returning to her face. "So, uh, I guess…I guess everything's worked out for the best, huh? I mean, you and Fez."

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, it has," she answered quietly, just a hint of regret in her voice. She rubbed her hand and immediately felt her ring. She glanced down at it, then with a smile, raised her left hand. "Fez is perfect for me. He's sweet and romantic, and he knows me. He…he bought me the perfect ring."

He looked down at the floor. "Yeah."

Another moment of silence, Hyde staring at the floor, Jackie looking at him.

She sighed. "Steven, is there something you wanna say to me? If there is, I'm listening."

He looked up, and instead of hard blankness, what he always called Zen, for a moment his features seemed to define sadness. But only for a moment, only until Jackie's eyebrows raised and she took a few steps towards him, like she'd seen. He immediately masked himself. "Yeah." Another clear of his throat. "Have a nice trip."

Jackie's eyes closed for a few seconds, and she looked tired. Defeated. She gave him a miniscule and very weak smile. "I will," she answered. Her voice had no tone, no shimmer as it normally did. Just dullness. She turned to leave, but stopped. She turned back.

_Love held her breath. Jackie was staring at Hyde, her eyes flooding with tears. "Why is she so upset?" _

_"Shhh. Watch." _

Jackie walked to Hyde, almost against her will, irresistibly drawn to him by some unseen force. Their eyes locked together when she reached him. She stopped close to him, only a few inches away from him. He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing with confusion and uncertainty. His mouth opened, but she shook her head, and it closed again. With a sad smile, a tear dropping from each of her mismatched eyes, she raised her hand, her left hand, and rested it on his cheek. "Goodbye, Steven."

Just as he was turning his face into her touch, she took her hand away and turned from him. He watched, his lips parted, as she left without looking back. The door closed, and he nodded. "Bye, doll," he muttered.

_Love turned her back on the scene and glared at the angel. "Why did you show me that? She doesn't end up with him, why do I have to know that he still loves her?" _

_Paul patted LOVE's arm. "I have my reasons. We should go. We're done here. I've shown you all I can of your first choice." _

_"Wait…" Love tugged on the angel's robe. "What happens to Jackie and Fez? Do they…he doesn't do any of that creepy stuff after they're married, does he?" _

_"I can't tell you that. I can't show you anymore." He looked around, as if scoping out for prying eyes. Its voice lowered. "Just remember what I told you when she found him under those dirty magazines." _

_Love closed her eyes. "That it wasn't the last time they argued…" She sighed. "I don't know what to think. This isn't as easy as I thought it would be. There's just…there's a lot going on, and a lot I don't know." _

_The angel took Love's hand. "You know enough to make a decision when the time is right. Come. We need to go." _

_Love took a deep breath and wondered just what Choice Two would have in store for her. _


	7. Choice Two The Beginning

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice Two – Naperville, Illinois – The Beginning _

**_We're now about a hundred miles south of Point Place, in an upper middle class suburb of Chicago. Naperville, Illinois. Like a great deal of the town's men, every day your father Jack commutes to the city by train. He works for the Internal Revenue Service. Try not to hold that against him. Your mother Pamela is a housewife, and she is dedicated to taking care of you and your older sister Stephanie. You live well, in a comfortable but modest home. You have everything you need, and almost everything you want. _**

_**It's a very nice way to live… **_

_Jackie's seventh birthday _

The playroom, located in the lower level of the Burkhart's relatively new tri-level house, bore the markings of a party; streamers, balloons, all of pinks and purples and blues, perfect for a young girl. Jackie Burkhart stood in the middle of the room, amongst about fifteen kids dressed in their Sunday best, and she beamed. Her eyes, one blue, one green, gleamed with happiness, and the skirt of her white dress swished wildly as she ran over to her mother. "Mommy, when is the magician coming out?" She giggled. "I wanna see him pull a bunny out of a hat!"

Pamela, a tall and lovely woman with the same smooth olive skin as her daughter, smiled lovingly and patted her youngest child's shoulders. "In just a minute, sweetheart. Daddy's bringing him down as we speak."

Jackie clapped her hands together. "Yay!" She turned and scampered back to a group of kids. "Hey you guys, the magician will be here in a minute."

One of the kids, a skinny one with mousy brown hair, grinned sarcastically. "Yeah, well, I bet that the magician is just your dad dressed up like one."

Jackie frowned, and reached out to swat at the boy's arm. "You take that back, Eric Forman! My daddy works in the city in a big building. He is NOT a magician!" She rolled her eyes. "My daddy makes more money than a magician. Magicians are poor."

_Love giggled and looked at the angel. "I guess some things are going to be the same in each choice, eh?" _

_Paul smiled. "Yep." _

The girl standing next to Eric, a girl much taller than either Jackie or Eric, with long red hair and a face dotted with freckles, looked at Jackie in confusion. "So why are you having one at your birthday party?"

Jackie crossed her arms across the flowery bodice of her dress and turned disdainful eyes to the girl. "Because, _Donna_, magicians can pull bunny rabbits out of hats!"

Eric shrugged. "Whatever. I still say that it's just gonna be your dad."

"Okay, kids, get ready! Here comes the amazing Fernando!"

The kids began to clap as a tall man in snazzy tuxedo, complete with a top hat, sauntered into the room, Jackie clapping the loudest and bouncing up and down on her feet.

Donna elbowed Eric and pointed to the side of the room. "Looks like you're wrong, Eric. There's Jackie's dad, and there…" She pointed at Fernando, who was beginning his show at the front of the room. "Is Fernando." She grinned. "You are wro-ong, you are wro-ong!"

Eric rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

_Love smiled. "This is much better than the other birthday. At least her parents are here, and threw her a party." _

_Her guide nodded. "Yes. And a nice one." The angel smiled. "I like magicians." _

_She giggled. "You do, huh? What, did you know one in a former life?" _

_Paul rolled his eyes. "Funny, funny. Keep watching." _

A few hours later, the group of kids now sat on the floor in a large circle. Jackie sat in a rocking chair, gifts wrapped in bright colors with shining bows gathered around her. She picked up one and grinned, looking at a good-looking boy with amazing brown hair. "This one is from Michael."

"Read the card!" one of the children called as Jackie opened and scanned the card.

She giggled and batted her eyelashes in Michael Kelso's direction. "I don't know if I should…"

Donna grinned. "You read everyone else's!"

"Okay, fine!" Jackie smiled sweetly at Michael, who was flushed slightly in the cheeks. She looked down at the hand drawn card. The picture was off a house, with tulips in front, and two stick figure people. "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and I like you!"

The circle of kids broke out in a loud, unison, "ooooo" that quickly turned into giggles. Michael grinned, his face now turning beet red, and closed his eyes.

_Love cocked her head. "Aww, that poor boy. He looks so embarrassed!" She raised an eyebrow. "Jackie is still staring at him. Does she have a crush on him?" _

_Paul nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "That's the boy Jackie ends up with in this choice. Michael Kelso." _

_She smiled, a sweet sensation opening in her middle. "Well, what a sweet story they'll have to tell their children and grandchildren." She beamed at the angel. "I really like this choice so far." _

_Paul nodded benignly. "I'm sure you do." _

The basement was empty, but for Jack and Pamela Burkhart. They had large trash bags and were busy picking up wrapping paper, and other discarded party items and toys. Jackie galloped down the stairs. "Mommy! Daddy!"

Pam stood up, the bag falling from her hand as her daughter wrapped around her leg. She laughed and hugged the little girl. "Hi, Jackie."

"What's up, pumpkin?"

Jackie smiled up at her parents, her eyes, blue and green, shining with youthful innocence and bliss. "I just wanna say thank you for my party. Jessica said it was the best one she's ever been to!"

Jack reached out and tussled his daughter's raven hair. "You're welcome, Jackie. You deserved it. Did you have fun?"

She nodded vigorously. "I did! I had so much fun!"

Pam stroked her back. "Do you know where you want to go for dinner?"

"We get to go out for dinner, too?"

Jack laughed. "Of course. It's your birthday, and we always go out to dinner on birthdays."

Jackie clapped her hands together. "YAY!'

_"Wow, this is so much different than Wisconsin. Her parents obviously love her. And spend time with her." She gazed down at the happy family and pressed her hand to her chest. "They look so happy." Love couldn't stop her smile. _

_Her guide nodded. "They do. And they are. But come with me. More to see." _

_**Two years later, Jackie and her friends are in fifth grade. All four classes in their grade are putting on a program for the parents, and Jackie is excited.**_

Jackie nudged Donna as the girls sat on the risers, bored by Mrs. McAllister's class' song. "Michael's gonna use my clipboard for his skit," she whispered.

Donna shrugged. "So what?"

"So, _Donna_, he'll be touching something of mine!"

The red head rolled her eyes and peered out into the darkened audience. "Again, so what?"

Jackie pouted and stopped bouncing her leg. She looked down at the spoken of clipboard in her lap. "So, I like him, okay?"

Donna sighed and looked at her best friend. "I know you do, but…" She chewed her lower lip. "He's going out with Michelle Pennell." Jackie looked at her, her eyes sad, and Donna lifted her shoulders. "I don't know why, Jackie. I guess it's…well, Kelso likes cheerleaders and she's taking some stupid cheer class at the Barn."

Jackie huffed and glared out into the audience. "Well, then I'm gonna be a cheerleader." She shook her head. "I'm going to get him to like me whatever it takes, Donna."

Donna smiled. "I'm sure you will, Jackie," she patronized. Jackie beamed in return, and Donna stifled her giggle.

_Love nodded. "She has a crush on Michael. How cute!" She looked at Paul. "Does he like her back?" _

_He took her arm. "Come on. You'll see." _

**_Jackie and her friends are now in high school._**

_"Did she become a cheerleader?" _

_Paul looked at Love with mild irritation. "Please don't interrupt me. You'll find out soon enough." _

_She looked down, chewing lightly on her lip. "Sorry. _

_"As I was saying…" _

**_Jackie and her friends are now in high school. She is an excellent student, excelling particularly in math. She also fulfilled her elementary school vow and has become a cheerleader. Her crush on Michael Kelso looms large, and with typical Jackie cunning, she's figured out a way to use her math skills to get closer to him._**

Jackie sat on a dingy orange couch in the basement of Eric Forman's house and looked to her right, sighing in exasperation. "Michael, are you listening to me? Do you understand what I just said?" He continued staring in front of him at the television set, his well chiseled jaw opened, his lips parted in appreciation of "Charlie's Angels".

Steven Hyde sat on a chair to her right, his curly hair ruffled, his clothing (jeans, a tee shirt and a jean jacket) looking as if they'd seen better days. And of course, his eyes blocked by his trademark sunglasses. "Odds are he didn't. I mean, you're talking about numbers larger than 1."

_Love arched an eyebrow at the way Hyde's smile seemed to grow when Jackie grinned at him. "Does Steven Hyde like her or something?" _

_The angel shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. You'll see." _

Jackie turned back to find Michael still glued to the television set. She swatted his arm. "Michael!"

Kelso double jerked his head towards her, his eyes wide. "What? Were you saying something?"

She tossed her pencil onto the table. "I was trying to help you study. You know, to help you stay on the football team. Remember? Like you _asked _me to?"

He nodded. "Right, right. I know, but…" His eyes lit up and his lanky body rose up, clumsily bumping into the coffee table. "I will, but first I wanna have a Popsicle."

Jackie sighed and watched Michael walk over to the deep freeze. Her expression softened; her eyes began to shine with the hazy light of unrequited love. She turned her head and looked at Donna. "Should I do it?" she mouthed soundlessly to her best friend.

Donna shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know," she mouthed in response.

Jackie took a deep breath and stood. The light in her eyes deepened as she headed towards the object of her affection. Briefly, as she passed his chair, her gaze skimmed over Hyde.

_Love frowned. "Doesn't she see how Hyde is looking at her? Can't she tell that he likes her?"_

_Paul shook his head. "Well, unlike you, she can't see through the sunglasses. But also, it's not something she wants to see." _

_"Why? Wouldn't she like to know?" _

_He smiled. "Just wait." _

"So Michael," Jackie said, her strong voice shimmering on the last syllable. She stood next to him, close, and they both perched their rear ends on the top of the deep freeze. She smiled sweetly. "The Valentine's Day dance is coming up."

He gave her blank look. "Yeah, guess it is."

She inched closer, undeterred when he immediately scooted away, keeping distance between them. "Are you going to ask anyone?" Again she moved closer, and again, he drew away. "Because dances are really good places for new couples to get to know each other."

Kelso stared at her, his eyes glassy with confusion, then breaking. He smiled and began chuckling as he backed away from her towards the staircase. "Wait a second, Jackie. You're not thinking…" He wagged his finger between her and himself. "You and me, are you? 'Cause if you are, you better just stop." He laughed and looked around at the others. "I mean, you're cute and all, but I only date cheerleaders."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "She IS a cheerleader, Kelso."

"Oh yeah." His eyes darted around the room, searching for an excuse that sounded believable. "OH! I only date head cheerleaders." He grinned and nodded. "Yeah. And you're not a head cheerleader."

Jackie, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed a becoming rose, smiled sexily and sauntered to Kelso. "But you think I'm cute."

Kelso pushed past her and stalked over to in front of the television. He took a deep breath and turned to face Jackie. "Okay, look. You and I are never gonna happen. I mean, I can't blame you for wanting me, since I'm so hot and all. But I'm not interested. You don't have a chance."

Jackie's smile fell. "But you think I'm cute. That has to mean something."

Kelso rolled his eyes. "No, it doesn't."

She crossed her arms over her chest and jutted out her chin. "Yes, it does."

Kelso huffed and began pacing, obviously flustered.

Jackie smirked. "See? I'm getting to you. And that means you like me!"

"I DON'T like you, Jackie!" He looked at Hyde, pointing at him. "Hyde, what was that poem you told me the other day? Hi….hi…something?"

Hyde shook his head, irritated. "Haiku."

"That's it! Now tell it to me again so I can tell it to Jackie."

Hyde leaned back in his chair and lifted his feet to the footstool. "Can't man, I forgot it."

Jackie shook her head. "Give it up, Michael. I know that you…"

Kelso's face lit up, and he approached Jackie, taking hold of her shoulders. "I remembered it! Awesome! Now look, Jackie. This hi…hi…

"Haiku, you moron!"

"Haiku. Right. It sums up my feelings for you, okay?" Kelso took a deep breath. "My heart aches with pain."

Jackie smiled and tilted her head.

"When I see you, I vomit."

Her smile disappeared, her eyes narrowed and darkened.

"Die away from me."

He turned and left the basement, punctuating his brutal words with a hard slam of the basement door. Jackie stood, her eyes lowered to the floor and moving back and forth, the only part of her body to move at all. Her face was rapidly reddening, and her shoulders slumping.

_Love glared towards the door Kelso had just exited. "That was incredibly rude. How can she still like him? He's a jerk!" She crossed her arms and tried to still her quivering form. Heat spread through her. _

_Paul smiled gently. "Like I told you before, the heart is a funny thing. Now come. We need to skip forward a few hours._

The branches of the trees gleamed with moonlight, darts of silver through dark green flora. A black car was parked in an opening of the woods, and on the hood, Jackie and Hyde sat, not terribly close.

Jackie stared at the dirty ground in front of her, but her lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks for driving me up here, Hyde. I just…I was so embarrassed, and everyone was looking at me like they felt sorry for me." She rolled her eyes. "I can't stand that, you know?"

Hyde nodded, taking a sip of the soda he held. "Yeah, well, I was getting bored anyway." He handed her the soda. "Have some of my pop."

Jackie smiled at him and took the cup. "Thanks." She looked at him curiously. "I'm surprised you offered. I mean, I thought you hated me."

Hyde shook his head, staring off into the distance. "Nah. I don't hate you, just everything you stand for. Cheerleading, conformity, middle-class complacency." He looked at her and grinned. "Teasing."

She giggled and took another long sip of his pop. "Just for that, I finished your pop." She shoved the empty cup at him and scooted closer to him. "You know, this is kind of nice. Like bowling."

He raised an eyebrow. "Bowling?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Easy. Fun." He gave her a weird look, and she shrugged. "And I don't hate bowling."

The two stared at one another, and after a moment that seemed pregnant with chemistry, leaned to each other. Their lips met in a slow kiss, but just as Hyde began to deepen it, just as she seemed to be melting into him, Jackie pulled away. Her eyes, wide and startled, stared at him. "I…that was just…we shouldn't have…"

Hyde shook his head and looked away. "You don't have to say it. I know. It was a mistake."

Love bit her lower lip. "He sounds so sad." Behind the sunglasses, she could see his eyes closing, his brow clenching, and an ache opened in her middle. "He really likes her."

Jackie twisted her hands together. "No, I mean, Steven, the kiss was hot, and it's not you…it's just…I just really like Michael, Steven, and…" She looked at him apologetically. "I know he says he doesn't like me, but I'm going to get him to." She took a breath and looked up into the sky, the apology on her face morphing into trademark Jackie determination. "I swear to God, I'm going to get him to."

_Love shook her head, staring at Jackie, feeling an odd resolve in her middle. "I don't get it," she said softly. "Hyde so obviously likes her. Michael was a complete jerk to her. And she's still going to chase after him?"_

_"She believes Michael is her true love," the angel said, its own eyes focused rather sadly at the scene below. She closed them, as if thinking of something, then shook off the thought and turned to Love. "Come. Let's go see how Jackie and Michael get together."_


	8. Choice Two So Sweet

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice Two - Naperville, Illinois – So Sweet _

**_It's a year later, and Jackie's moved on. She has a new boyfriend, and someone is none too pleased about it._**

While his parents and their friends gathered in the driveway and backyard to celebrate Veteran's Day, Eric Forman sat on the porch with his three best friends. He took a long drink of his beer and glared at the festivities in front of him. "Well, I guess Donna's not coming," he said.

His complaint was rewarded with a dirty look from Hyde, who sat next to him.

"Well, gee, Forman, that could be because you dumped her," Hyde said. He made a face and grabbed the beer out of Eric's hand. "Gimme that. You don't deserve beer." He took a drink and looked towards the people in the driveway, nearly all of them gathered at the food table. "Dumbass."

Fez stood behind them, and he nodded. "Yes, Eric, you are a dumbass. You gave up a woman who would actually have sex with you." He crossed his arms and looked away. "Idiot."

Eric tore his beer back from Hyde. "Shut up. She didn't want to…I mean, she wasn't as committed…" He rolled his eyes. "Never mind. You wouldn't understand." He looked to his left at Kelso, who was staring straight ahead and had been surprisingly quiet. "Don't you have anything to add, Kelso? Like how you're gonna try to do it with Donna now that we broke up?"

Kelso shook his head. "I don't get it, man. What is Jackie doing with that guy?"

Eric followed Kelso's hard stare. Jackie stood near the food table, with the arm of a tall, dark-haired, good-looking guy wrapped around her shoulders. He grinned. "Who, Chip? She's on a date with him, Kelso."

"I know that, _Eric_, but why?" Kelso began tapping his foot, quicker and quicker. "He doesn't even go to Central. He goes to North."

_Love raised an eyebrow. She could see through Hyde's sunglasses, and the look in his eyes as he stared at Jackie and the Chip guy was downright nasty. "Well, Kelso's not the only jealous one," she commented, suppressing a giggle. She looked at the Paul. "Are you sure that Jackie ends up with Kelso and not Hyde? He sure does like her." _

_The angel shrugged. "Just keep watching, my dear." _

Hyde shrugged, feigning casualness, though his jaw remained rather tense. "She said he's a football player," he said, knowing it would get Kelso's goat. "Quarterback, wasn't it?"

Kelso rose to his feet, his body twitching. He pointed at Hyde. "See? She's a traitor. Cheerleaders aren't supposed to date guys from other schools. Especially quarterbacks."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Stop it with the jealous whining, moron."

Kelso gave him a nasty look. "I'm not jealous!"

Hyde stood up and faced him down. "Yes, you are. And you know what? I don't feel sorry for you. You had your chance with her, and you blew it. Get over it." He turned and stalked into the house, closing the sliding door behind him so hard it bounced in its frame.

Eric lifted his eyebrows. "Well, I guess Hyde isn't in a good mood today."

Kelso waved his hand at the space Hyde had just occupied. "Whatever." He turned back at again stared at Jackie and Chip. His eyes darkened. "I'm not jealous."

Eric and Fez exchanged glances, and spoke together. "Whatever, Kelso."

About an hour later, Kelso headed for the food table. He'd told the guys he was going for a beer, but the truth was that Chip was standing there, alone, munching on the food. Kelso tensed his jaw. That dude had a few words coming to him. "So," he said as he came up next to the guy in a disgusting, orange-beige colored jacket. "You and Jackie."

Chip nodded and grinned. "Yep. Isn't she something?"

Kelso nodded slowly, sizing the guy up. "Yeah, she's…something."

"I kind of hate it when she talks, though."

Kelso chuckled. "Yeah."

"And she talks all the time." Chip shrugged. "But I figure it's worth it if I can nail her."

Kelso sighed. He should have known. Quarterbacks were never up to any good. "You might wanna rethink that, man. I mean, she's really young, she's never had a boyfriend before."

Chip grinned. "Not surprising. She's a bitch."

Kelso stared at him, and his face twisted with anger. He reeled back, curled his right hand into a tight fist, and flung it up and forward. Bone cracked audibly when that fist made hard contact with Chip's jaw, and the struck man fell to the ground.

Kelso looked down at him, rubbing his right hand, until the clapping of heeled feet rushing towards him distracted him. He turned, and there was Jackie, her eyes dancing between the heap of Chip on the ground and his own flushed face.

"Michael, what happened?"

He shrugged. "I…well, I mean, he…he goes to North, ya know? And…" She looked at him expectantly, and he rolled his eyes. "And he called you a bitch."

Jackie's mouth opened, her eyes widened, and she placed one hand on her heart. "Oh my god, Michael, you…you hit him because he called me a bitch! You don't like anyone calling me a bitch…you love me!" She took a few steps towards him, reaching up with her hands, ecstasy coloring her cheeks with pink, her eyes with shine.

Kelso backed up, pressing Jackie away from him with a light touch of his hands to her shoulders. His heart was racing, yet the prospect of kissing Jackie panicked him. "Yeah, just…go away! Forget this ever happened, okay?"

He turned and walked away, away from the Forman house, the party, Chip, and most importantly, Jackie, who suddenly loomed large in front of him with the threat of a brutal tornado.

_Love shook her head, still gazing down at the beaming Jackie. "Wait…okay, that was really sweet of Kelso to punch that guy, but why did he do it? He seemed jealous. It seems like he likes her. But he's running away from her." _

_Paul nodded. "He's scared of Jackie." _

_"Scared? Of her? She's tiny. And he's…well, he's built well. Why is he scared of her?" _

_Paul smiled. "He's scared of something else about her. Which you'll understand in good time. Now come along, my dear." _

**_A few days later, Jackie has finally found a way to convince Kelso to spend time with her._**

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Kelso grumbled as he stumbled along, tugged by Jackie's insistent grip.

"Shhhh," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "We have to be quiet." She stopped walking and stared at the school in front of them, a brick building drenched in darkness. The only faint light came from behind them, a street lamp, and she squinted in order to see more clearly. "Okay, Chip said the window that's always unlocked is on the south side of the building somewhere around the dumpsters." She scanned the school, reminding herself which way was which. "That way. Come on."

Kelso sighed, rolling his eyes, yet followed her. "Remind me why we're doing this."

"Because, Michael, you want to humiliate North at the game on Friday, don't you? Don't you think us having their stupid stuffed husky mascot will do the trick? And…" She stopped and turned to him, smiling up at him as flirtatiously as she could, though she knew he could hardly see her. "You'll be a hero, Michael. The football team will be so excited, you guys will win by twenty points, and everyone will love you. They'll put you on their shoulders and everyone will worship you."

Kelso grinned and nodded. "Yeah, and all the chicks will be begging to do it with me. Yeah, I like this idea!"

_Love raised an eyebrow. Jackie didn't exactly look pleased by his comment. "He still wants other girls? Even after the whole thing with Chip?" She noticed the strain in the angel's smile, and looked down, the corners of her lips turning up sheepishly. "I'm driving you crazy, aren't I?"_

_"You're not as bad as some. At least you don't argue. For instance, Hy…" Paul stopped and cleared its throat. "Hyanthia, a girl I mentored a few days ago, was much worse." _

_UBS snapped her head up. "Hyanthia?" _

_"Her parents were drunk when they picked a name. At any rate, keep watching." _

_Love stared at the Paul, but when he didn't look at her, she sighed and resumed her watch. _

Jackie rolled her eyes and opened her purse. She pulled out a small flashlight and handed it to Kelso. "Here. You're in charge of the light."

"Cool!"

"Keep the light on the ground, Michael, until I tell you, okay?"

They walked on.

"Wait, how are we gonna know where they keep the mascot?"

"Chip showed me. It's really near the room we're gonna climb in." Jackie stopped. "Okay, hold the light up." Kelso did, shining the rather inadequate beam onto the wall in front of them. He moved it, left to right, and several windows neighbored one another. "Let's check them out."

The twosome hurried to the windows, and Kelso aimed the light at the bottom of the first one. Jackie tried to raise it, until a much larger beam of light, coming from behind and reflecting in the window, stopped her. They both gasped.

"Hold it right there. Don't move, you two."

Kelso glared at Jackie. "Great, just great!" he hissed. "God, this is what I get for agreeing to do anything with you!"

Jackie looked at him, her eyes wide and fearful. "Michael, I didn't…I mean, I just wanted…" Her voice broke.

"Turn around."

They turned, and in the dim light, a police officer stood in front of them. He shined his flashlight in their faces, and both Jackie and Kelso held their hands in front of their eyes.

"What are you two doing here?"

Kelso looked at Jackie, whose lips were trembling so hard that when she tried to speak, all that resulted was a sort of choked whinny. He sighed. "Look, officer, this is my fault. I told my girlfriend here that it would be cool to break into school and do it." He grinned cockily. "And since I'm so hot, you know, she said yes." Jackie looked at him, and he gave her a look before turning back to the officer, his smile fading. "It's not her fault, okay? So just don't arrest her or anything, 'cause it was all my idea."

The officer focused the light on Jackie, but her eyes remained fastened on Kelso's face.

"Is that true, miss?"

"I…" Jackie shook her head, somehow finding her voice, finding her composure, though her heart beat a million times a second. "Yeah, it's…true." She looked down at the ground, her cheeks suddenly warm from the thought of doing _that_ with Michael.

The officer snorted and glared at Kelso. "You know, I ought to arrest you for trying to take advantage of this little girl. Not to mention trespass, and breaking and entering."

"But we didn't break, and we sure as hell didn't enter!"

Jackie elbowed Michael, and smiled sweetly at the officer. "Michael, be quiet!"

Kelso sighed and rolled his eyes, but shut up.

The officer grinned slightly. "But, I'm young enough to remember what it's like to be a kid. You two get the hell out of here, and if I see you back again, you're heading for jail, you got it?"

A few minutes later, as Kelso guided his van towards Jackie's house, she smiled at him. "He might have arrested you, Michael."

Kelso didn't look at her. "I know." His eyes widened. "Can you imagine what would have happened to me in jail? I mean, god, those guys are always just waiting for some hot dude to come along." He shook his head, his brow furrowing. "I'd have been somebody's bitch, man!"

Jackie leaned her head back against the headrest, and she continued to gaze dreamily at her handsome escort. "And you were willing to do that for me. For _me._"

Kelso glanced quickly at her, back at the road, back at her, back at the road, back at her. And then he shook his head. "Oh, no, Jackie. Don't be thinking this means anything. I just…I was just bein' nice! It doesn't mean I'm in love with you or anything, okay? So stop smiling like that!" He gestured wildly with his hands.

Jackie frowned at his flailing hands. "Michael, keep your hands on the wheel!" When he put them back, she smiled again. "Whatever, Michael," she said softly, contentedly, as her eyes adored him. "Whatever you want to tell yourself."

She knew better.

Kelso grimaced and gripped the steering wheel as tight as he could without losing all circulation. "Oh, god!"

_"Awww, he does love her!" Love chirped, clasping her hands together. "He's a sweet guy, Michael Kelso. Not so bright, and kind of spazzy, but sweet. I bet he'd be really great for Jackie." She looked at the Paul. "Are they together after this?" _

_He smiled. "All in good time. Come on. One more thing to see." _

**_Several months later, summer vacation has just started. Jackie has finally managed to convince Kelso to go out on a date with her. He's told her to meet her in the Forman basement, but when she arrives…_**

"Where's Michael?" Jackie stood just in front of the basement door, her hands on her hips. She was dressed to kill; wearing a black suede skirt, a slit on the side up to her mid-thigh, a red, off- the shoulder peasant blouse. Her hair was beautiful, falling in jet black curl. And on her face, it wasn't so much her impeccable make up than the glow of excitement insider her that had her looking absolutely gorgeous. She raised an eyebrow at Eric, who sat morosely on the couch, a piece of paper in his hand, and at Hyde, who was, as usual, slumping over in his chair. "Have you seen him? He told me to meet him here for our date, and I'm late, because I had to keep him waiting, of course. Where is he?"

Eric lifted up the paper he held. "He and Donna took a trip." He smirked, but his eyes burned with anger. "Yeah. Just a little trip to California." He shook his head, and his cheeks flushed. "God, I mean, can't she understand why I didn't want to get right back together? She was only coming back to me because Casey screwed her over. I was gonna be her rebound from her rebound." He threw the letter to the table, stood and stalked towards the stairs, grumbling all the way. "Stupid California. What does she think she's gonna find there, anyway?"

The sounds of Eric stomping up the stairs were lost on Jackie. She stood paralyzed, her eyes fixated on the letter lying on the table. "Michael…he went to California?"

_Love frowned. "Why did he go to California? He was supposed to go out with Jackie." _

Jackie looked at Hyde, who was gazing at her, sans sunglasses, cautiously. "Did he go to get out of going on a date with me?"

_Love gasped and grabbed Paul's arm. "Oh my gosh, what? Why would he do that? Did he not really want to go out with her? But he likes her!" She looked imploringly at her guide. "Tell me what's going on!" _

_The angel patted UBS's hand. "Calm down. You'll see soon enough, okay?" _

Hyde looked away, and that was all the answer Jackie needed. She nodded, her eyes dropping to the floor. She studied it, the cold concrete, and thought she was just like it; seemingly solid, seemingly strong, but riddled with tiny cracks easily hidden by paint or carpet. In her case, hidden by beautiful clothes and perfect make up.

"Hey, uh, you wanna go for a drive or something?"

She looked up, and Steven's eyes met hers. He wore just the slightest hint of a smile, the kind that said "It sucks, I know, I get it,", and despite the pain encircling her heart, she smiled slightly, too. He was a tough one, rough around the edges, with a tendency to be rude, and yet he had all these moments of sensitivity. Her stomach relaxed. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Hyde nodded, the corners of his lips struggling, as if he wanted to smile but was forcing himself not to. "Cool. Come on."

_Love shook her head, unable to comprehend the situation. "I'm really confused." _

_"So is Jackie." Paul smiled. "You'll find out why Michael took off soon." _

_"But what about Hyde? He's so nice to her, and she doesn't even notice him." _

_He lifted one shoulder. "Maybe. Maybe not." _

_Love blinked slowly at the cryptic answer. "What does that mean?" _

_"It means, you'll see. Come on."_


	9. Choice Two The Hook

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice Two – Naperville, Illinois – The Hook _

_**Two months later, Donna and Kelso have returned from California. Neither want to talk about what happened, but that's of little consequence to the rest of the distracted gang. Eric has started dating a new girl. Fez has taken a job at a new candy store, and in his spare time is pursuing his quota of "pool boob". And Jackie and Hyde…well…are keeping each other occupied.**_

Kelso sat on the Forman porch, his arms crossed in front of him, a deep frown on his face as he watched Hyde play basketball with Jackie. She was laughing as she managed to squirm around Hyde, shoot the ball and make a basket. What was weird was that the normally stone-faced Hyde was grinning, too. Something about the sight didn't sit well in Kelso's stomach. "So what's going on with those two? They seem awfully chummy."

Eric shrugged and took a sip of his lemonade. "I think they're having some sort of summer fling. She's here a lot. A lot, a lot."

Kelso raised an eyebrow. "A fling? A fling where they do it all the time? A fling like the one I had with D…" He coughed, stopping himself. "I mean, the one I had last year with Pam Macy?"

Eric nodded slowly, his eyes studying Kelso's face. "Uh…yeah. Like that." He furrowed his brow. "Wait, were you about to say the fling you had with Donna?"

Kelso laughed, but didn't look at Eric. "Are you crazy? No!" His eyes widened and he turned his head away.

_Love arched an eyebrow. "Why do I somehow think that Kelso did have a fling with Donna?" _

_Paul nodded. "He's not a good liar at all." _

_"And Jackie and Hyde are having a fling?" _

_"Yes." _

_Love smiled for a moment, then frowned. "I'm not supposed to be cheering for Hyde, am I? " _

_Paul raised his shoulders. "It doesn't matter. You know who she ends up with." _

_"Kelso." Love shook her head and studied the handsome boy, who was once again glaring at Jackie and Hyde as they continued to play together. "He's confusing. He likes her, doesn't like her, has a fling with her best friend, then is jealous of her new boyfriend?" _

_"Lets just say that Kelso has a hard time making up his mind what he wants. Oh, and that he has a very big appreciation for women. And sex." The angel smiled. "Keep watching."_

Eric continued to stare at Kelso. "Riiiight. Kelso, if you and Donna…"

"Look, man, I didn't," Kelso said, still avoiding Eric's gaze. "But even if I had, it wouldn't have meant anything. A fling is just a fling." He watched as Jackie wrapped her arms around Hyde's waist from behind, trying to seduce him into dropping the ball, and a sour look briefly crossed Kelso's face, until he repeated himself. "A fling is just a fling. Yeah…so Jackie and Hyde aren't really _together_ together. They're just messing around." He grinned. "Alright!"

Eric shook his head. "I thought you didn't like her man."

Kelso sighed, his eyes on Jackie. "Yeah, well, I think maybe I do."

"She's with Hyde, though, Kelso. What are you gonna do? Steal her from him?"

Kelso glared at Eric. "You just said they were just having a fling."

Eric nodded and looked again at the flirting couple on his driveway, teasing each other with the basketball. "True. And Hyde's not exactly into commitment."

"That's right." Kelso beamed and relaxed back into his chair. "I'm gonna get her."

_Paul looked at Love. "You look upset." _

_She shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel bad for Hyde. He likes Jackie a lot more than Eric and Kelso think." _

_The angel nodded. "True. But sometimes, how one person feels simply doesn't matter to fate." He took Love's hand. "Come on." _

"Jackie!"

Jackie, standing at her locker and putting book after book into her bag, glanced to her right. Michael was loping her way, and she smiled. "Hi, Michael," she said. She was startled; for some reason, her heart wasn't racing the way it used to when he approached her. She blinked slowly; it couldn't be because of Steven. They were just a fling. He'd made that perfectly clear, and she was perfectly fine with it. She really was. She had to be.

He reached her, leaned against the locker next to her, and gave her his most charming smile. "You're looking good today," he said, his eyes moving up and down her petite form. He wondered why he hadn't ever appreciated it before. Her legs were fantastic, her chest small but round and perky, and her ass…well, it was definitely first class.

Jackie felt a little tingle at the base of her spine. Michael was looking at her in a way she'd always dreamed he would, and she couldn't help herself from enjoying it. And now her heart was starting to beat faster, her breath catching on it as it did so. Instinctively, she tossed her hair – beautifully styled, as always – over her shoulder. "Of course I am," she said. She glanced at him. Oh yeah, he looked good. A football jersey that made his shoulders look about a million miles wide, and tight jeans that enjoyed his backside. "You are, too."

He grinned. "Of course I am." He moved a little closer, his grin turning seductive. "So, since we're both so good looking and all, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me on Friday night."

Her eyes widened, her heart moving in a frenzy, up and down, back and forth, and she felt a little dizzy. The guy she'd had a crush on for years, _years_, had finally noticed her!

_Love frowned and shook her head. "But Hyde…" _

_"Watch." _

She nodded, ignoring the slight nag in her stomach. Ignoring the slight pulsing in her brain. "I'd love to, Michael!" She chewed lightly on her lower lip, but then frowned and put her hand on his arm. "Wait, you're not going to run off to California again, are you?"

He shook his head, and his smile faded. He took a step closer. "No. Look, I'm real sorry about that. I just…" He smiled sheepishly, with a little shrug of his shoulders. "I just didn't realize how much I liked you. But I…I realize it, now."

The softness of his voice, the sweetness of his eyes, it took Jackie's breath away. She'd never been told anything like that by a guy before, and it felt so good. So very, very good. She'd never understood how powerful words could be, but now, standing on trembling and weakened knees, her flesh feeling much more like jello than a body, she knew. "Oh, Michael…"

"I'll pick you up at seven. We'll go to Casa di Italia." His eyes danced. "It's easy as hell to get out of there without paying! See ya later, Jackie!"

Jackie watched him lumber off, laughing at him, until she remembered Hyde. Her smile fell, and she sighed. "It's no big deal," she told herself quietly as she turned back to her locker. "It's just a fling."

_Love sighed. "Kelso is sweet, I'll give him that. And I know he really likes her." She looked at the angel. "But I know it's not just a fling to Hyde. And it really doesn't seem like it's just a fling to Jackie, either. It's like she's trying to talk herself into believing that it is."_

_Paul nodded. "Well, I guess we'll see. Come on." _

"So…." Jackie sat on the couch, looking at Steven and twisting her fingers together nervously. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes, covered by sunglasses, were directed, at least she thought, at the television set. "I mean, this…thing we've been doing. It's just been a fling, right?"

Hyde nodded, but slowly, uncertainly. "Uh…yeah." He cleared his throat. "I mean, of course it's just a fling."

She took a deep breath. "I mean, we never even went on a real date or anything. We just hang out here and…fool around." She laughed, but the laugh seemed unnatural. Forced. "It's not like we're going steady or anything."

Hyde shifted in his chair, but still didn't look at her. "Is there something you wanna tell me, Jackie?"

She looked down at her hands and closed her eyes for a moment. She felt weird; guilty, and hurt, for some reason. And yet, she wanted to go out with Michael. She really did. She always had. "Its just…Michael asked me out today, and I…"

He looked at her. "You want to go."

She lifted her eyes to him, but because of his glasses, couldn't see him, couldn't read him. And his voice was so dull she couldn't interpret it. With a growing pit in her tummy, she plowed on. "Yes. I want to go. I've always wanted to go out with him, Steven, and now he's finally interested…Do you mind if we…if we break things off?"

He was quiet for a moment, still for that moment, and then he looked away, at the television again. His arms crossed over his chest. "Look, there's nothing to break off, so it's fine by me."

Jackie nodded, though his answer didn't exactly fill her with the relief she'd been hoping for. "Good." She stood up. No need to sit here in awkward silence. "Well…I mean…"

He shook his head. "You don't need to thank me or say some mushy goodbye, okay? It's fine. We're done fooling around. Whatever."

She nodded. "Okay." She started to walk towards the basement door, but stopped. Tears filled her eyes, and a feeling that was brutally intense spread through her body until she began shaking. She turned back to him and stumbled a bit towards him. "Steven, I just…when Michael ran off to California, I felt horrible. I mean, really, really horrible. And you…" She smiled, a tear limping slowly off the lashes beneath each of her eyes. "You made me feel so much better. I had so much fun with you."

"Yeah. So much fun you'd rather be with Kelso."

The bitterness in his voice confused her, and she frowned. "But I thought…"

He held up a hand. "Whatever, Jackie, I already told you that I'm fine with it. I don't care, okay?"

"Its just…you and I, we're so…different. I mean, we'd never make a relationship work…right?"

He nodded. "Definitely not. I couldn't put up with your stupid tirades about Donny Osmond and ABBA." He looked at her, giving her outfit a disdainful once over. "Not to mention all those stupid rainbows and unicorns." He punctuated his words with a slight smile, softening his words.

She giggled, but her tears didn't dry. "And I'd never be able to deal with all your conspiracy mumbo jumbo." She sat down on the footstool in front of him and looked down at his hands, resting on his knees. "Steven, I'm really glad that…" She looked up, reached up and touched his cheek. "I'm really glad that you were my first." She smiled shakily. "It was so amazing, and I'm never gonna forget it."

_Love tugged on the Paul's arm. "Her first what?" _

_He smiled. "Her first lover." _

_Love's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Ohhhhh. But wait!" They narrowed again. "Why did she sleep with him if she's in love with Michael?" _

_Paul raised and eyebrow and spoke cryptically. "The heart is a tricky thing, UBS. I've already told you that. Just keep paying attention." _

She leaned forward, slowly, and pressed her lips to his. With just a hint of hesitation, he returned her kiss, and for a long moment, they remained joined, breaths mingling, tongues softly petting.

It ended, and Jackie pulled back, her tears now streams down her cheeks.

_"I don't get it," Love said, almost angrily. "If she's so upset about ending things with Hyde, why is she doing it?" _

_Paul shook his head. "All I can tell you is that she has her reasons." He looked at Love. "Remember when I told you that something in Jackie scared Michael?" Love nodded. "Well, maybe something in Hyde scares Jackie." _

"Thank you, Steven," she whispered. She stood up, and smiled at him.

He shrugged. "Sure. Glad I could entertain you."

Jackie looked confused, hurt, ashamed, her lips silently opened with his name, but instead, she just shook her head and turned. She walked away.

Hyde watched her, his eyes the only part of his body moving until the basement door closed behind her. He sighed, shook his head. He reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper. As he unfolded it, with his left hand he grabbed the phone sitting next to him. Punched in a few numbers and tossed the paper to the table. "Yeah. I uh…I need to cancel a reservation. Yeah. Hyde. H-Y-D-E. Friday at 7. Yeah. No, just…something came up. Yeah. Thanks."

He hung up the phone and shook his head.

Behind the sunglasses, Love could see his eyes close and remain so for nearly a minute. Her breath seemed stuck in her middle, and she looked at the angel. "Wait, so he was…"

_"He was going to take her on a real date, yes. And yes, it was more than a fling to him." _

_She glared at Paul. "Why do you keep showing me these things? When I know she doesn't end up with him?" Her voice was tense and angry. "I don't want to know about it!" _

_"You might not want to know about it, but you need to. Now come along, my dear. We've got to see how Jackie finally hooks her man." _

The date was nice. A lovely dinner at Casa di Italia, which contrary to his teasing when he'd asked her out, Michael paid for. He'd been a gentleman, holding doors open for her, pulling her chair out, standing when she rose to go to the ladies room and when she returned. Now, they strolled together through Winding Creek Park, the only light coming from a few nearby streetlights and the huge silver moon hanging in the sky. Jackie thought she could never have dreamed a more romantic set up.

She linked her arm through his, and he smiled sweetly down at her. She returned it. He'd brought her flowers when he picked her up, impressing her mother, and he'd given her father a strong handshake, impressing him. Her parents' approval meant everything to her; they'd met Steven once, and hadn't liked him at all. She'd been lectured for a good while on how she should stay away from him.

_"Is that the reason she broke up with Steven? Love asked the angel._

_Paul shrugged. "Part of it. Shhh. Focus on Jackie and Kelso." _

"So Michael," she asked, her voice soft as befit the setting. "I was just wondering why you finally decided to go out with me. I mean, the last time we made a date, you ran off to California."

Kelso cleared his throat nervously. "Yeah, I'm real sorry about that. It's just…" He stopped walking and turned to face her. He slipped his arm away from hers and took her hands. "Look, Jackie, the thing is that you're so…I mean, you're just…" He rolled his eyes. "I went to California because I knew that if I went out on a date with you, I'd want you to be my girlfriend, and settle down and all that crap." He shrugged. "I wasn't ready for that. I mean, you know how hot I am. I've got girls all over me. I didn't wanna give that up."

Jackie nodded. "I get that, I guess. But why now?"

Kelso grinned. "'Cause we're both so frickin' hot."

She rolled her eyes. "Michael…"

He chuckled and gripped her hands tighter. "Okay, fine. Look." He took a deep breath. "I didn't like seeing you with Hyde, and I figured…I figured that meant I like you. A lot. And I'm…" He took another deep, slow breath. "I'm ready for just one girlfriend, Jackie, and I want it to be you." He smiled. "If you wanna be my girlfriend."

Jackie's eyes glistened with moisture, and her smile trembled. It was the most romantic thing any guy had ever said to her, in the most romantic setting she'd ever been in. And it felt good. Her parents would be so happy. And this was what she always wanted. It was right. Perfect. "I do want that, Michael," she said, with a hint of hesitation. She cleared her throat, hoping he hadn't noticed. "I really want that. I always have."

"Good." Kelso pulled her close, leaned down to her, and kissed her softly.

_Love sighed, shaking her head. She wasn't sure what to think. Michael Kelso was sweet, and handsome, definitely a good catch. But something seemed off. Not as perfect as Jackie seemed to think it was. She stared at the kissing couple. _

_Paul glanced at her. "Nothing to say? Nothing to ask?" _

_Love shook her head. "I don't know how to react. I mean, if I didn't know about Hyde, I would really be cheering for Kelso. He seems like a great guy." _

_Paul nodded. "And you realize what he was scared of? She made him want to settle down. That's why he ran. He wasn't ready. But doesn't that say a lot about how he feels about her?"_

_Love nodded slowly. "I guess so." She pursed her lips. "And he really is so sweet with her." She smiled sheepishly at her guide. "I don't know why the whole Hyde thing bugs me so much. I'll get over it." She took a breath. "So, what now?" _

_The angel raised his eyebrow. "Just remember his sweet side. I'm afraid we're going to have to go see a…well, a less than sweet side." _

_Love shook her head, her eyes closing. "Great, just great." _


	10. Choice Two Not So Sweet

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice Two – Naperville, Illinois – Not So Sweet _

**_It's a year and a half later. Jackie and Kelso have become a well-established, contented, and as both of them would proudly point out, very good looking couple. Eric and Donna have forged an uneasy truce; neither of them wanting to buckle first, but both of them desperately longing to be together. And that's why they convince the others, except Jackie, to go to a weekend concert in Chicago. Jackie wants to go, but can't, because of a cheerleading obligation._**

**_And that suits Kelso just fine… _**

Donna stood in front of Kelso's green VW van, glaring and pointing at Hyde and Eric. She could hardly breathe, and the words she wanted to scream at them until their ears bled sat on her tongue unuttered.

Eric sighed and nodded. "Yes, okay? Yes, we knew Kelso was fooling around with my sister."

Hyde frogged Eric's arm and treated him to a nasty glare. "What the hell, Forman?"

Eric shrugged. "She knows, anyway." Hyde rolled his eyes.

Donna shook her head, and slowly recovered her power of speech. "Someone has to tell Jackie."

"Tell Jackie what?"

The unmistakable sound of Jackie's voice widened Donna's eyes to saucers for a moment. Eric and Hyde looked away as the beaming Jackie bounced to her best friend's side.

"What are you doing here, Jackie?"

Jackie raised an eyebrow, obviously suspicious of the way Donna was fidgeting. "My cheerleading lock in was canceled, so I thought I'd surprise Michael and come with you guys to Chicago." She clapped her hands, grinning in excitement, but stopped when she noticed the three pairs of eyes on her that were decidedly less enthusiastic. "Look, I don't care if you don't have a ticket for me. I just wanna spend time with Michael."

Donna exchanged glances with Hyde and Eric, and smiled uncomfortably. "But…I mean, Jackie, there's gonna be a bunch of cheese heads from Wisconsin there. And you know you don't do well around all those…well…cheese heads."

As Donna continued to stammer off reasons that Jackie should leave, Hyde rolled his eyes and shook his head. His fists clenched at his sides.

_Love leaned forward, her stomach a mass of tensely tied knots. "Is he going to tell her?" _

"Why don't you surprise him right now, Jackie?" Hyde said, smirking, but in a somewhat muted manner. "He's in the van."

Jackie grinned and again clapped her hands. "Good idea!"

But when she opened the door of the fan, and found her boyfriend on top of Eric's slutty sister Laurie, his hand on one of her exposed breasts, her smile fell. Her face paled, and she stumbled backwards a foot or two. "Oh…god…" She looked at the others, who avoided her gaze.

"Jackie! Oh…god, just wait. This isn't what…I was just…I was doing CPR on her! She was choking!"

_Love glared at Paul. "Is he serious? He can't be serious. He can't believe that she'll believe THAT!" Her cheeks felt flushed, and she raised her hands to them. They were indeed hot. "God, poor Jackie!" _

_Paul nodded. "I know. This isn't exactly pleasant to watch, but we have to." _

Jackie held up a warning hand to Michael, and it shook visibly. It shook hard. "No, just don't! Just…don't!" The tiny brunette turned on her heels and ran, dropping her bag in the process, not bothering to notice. Kelso followed, but tripped on the bag she'd dropped.

Hyde smiled at that.

Donna glared at Hyde. "What the hell, Hyde?"

"You just said someone should tell her," Eric pointed out quietly.

She hit him in the shoulder. "I didn't mean she should be led to it like a lamb to the slaughter, dillhole!" She dropped her face into a hand. "Oh, god, that stupid ass!"

Hyde shrugged, his smile falling, his eyes trailing after Jackie's flight path. "I was just sick of his shit, you know?" He shook his head and closed his eyes. "Just sick of it."

_Love clutched the collar of her gown in a tight fist. "That…he…I can't believe…" She turned an angry gaze to Paul. "She doesn't take him back, does she? I mean, I know Fez was creepy in the last choice, but this is…I mean, Michael's actually doing…**that **with someone else! That's worse! I think. Isn't it?" _

_Paul shrugged. "To some it is. To others it isn't." _

_Love shook her head. "Nothing is cut and dry, is it?" _

_"Not on earth. Come, Love."_

_Love followed his lead, but glanced back at Hyde. _

**_A few days later, Jackie is sitting in her room. A vase full of red roses sits on the dresser across the room from her bed, and she's glaring at them, though she's proud of herself for not talking to Michael despite his multiple attempts to see her._ **

"Jackie," Pam Burkhart said, knocking on the door while opening it and taking a step inside at the same time. "Honey, Michael brought you some more flowers." She smiled and dipped her nose into the blooms. "Lilies, this time."

Jackie rolled her eyes and pulled her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on them and closed her eyes, not wanting to see Michael's latest apology. Flowers, even the most beautiful flowers, wouldn't change the fact that he'd been doing…_that_ with Laurie Forman. And probably other girls, too.

Pam placed the bouquet of white lilies next to the roses on her daughter's dresser, than looked at her daughter with sympathy. "Sweetheart," she began, in her softest, most motherly tone of voice. She walked to the bed and sat down, tentatively putting a hand on Jackie's leg. "Sweetheart, I know Michael hurt you. I know he did. But honey, people make mistakes, and he's genuinely sorry."

Jackie shook her head, her eyes tracing the roses on her bedspread, but quickly becoming fogged with tears. "What good does his being sorry do, Mom? I still know that Michael kissed and did…whatever…with another girl. All the roses and lilies in the world won't change that."

Pam nodded. "True, but if I hadn't forgiven your father, you wouldn't be here right now, Jackie."

Jackie's head shot up, and she stared at her mother. "What? Daddy…he…he did this too?"

Her mother nodded sadly, stroking Jackie's leg with light fingertips. "Before we were married. It took me a long time to get over, and maybe you'll need to spend some time apart. But I think you should at least talk to him. Find out what happened, why he did what he did."

Jackie nodded, and again looked down. "Find out what I did wrong."

_Love frowned. "She thinks it's her fault? No. It wasn't her fault." She looked at Paul. "Was it?" _

_Paul arched an eyebrow. "I certainly don't think so." _

_"Don't tell me her mom does." _

_"Watch." _

Pam lifted a shoulder. "Maybe." She smiled patiently when given a glare from her daughter. "I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that maybe your relationship with Michael will be stronger because of this."

Jackie wiped her eyes. "But how do I make sure he doesn't ever do this again? And how do I make him pay? Because, Mom, I can't just take him back like nothing ever happened."

Pam nodded, smiling conspiratorially. "I'll tell you how, sweetie. You make him buy you anything and everything until he gets so tired of it, he breaks down and swears on a stack of Bibles that you are his one and only." She took her daughter's hand. "And you can use it against him in the future, too. When your father began proposed, he bought me a ring. Oh, it was pretty, but not what I had in mind." Pam tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled. "So I mentioned his…well, his mistake. And low and behold, a few days later, he brought me a ring twice the size as the first one."

Jackie smiled and leaned to her mother for a hug.

_Love frowned. "That sounds like what Point Place Jackie's mom would say. This mom was supposed to be better!" She turned accusing eyes at Paul. "I think you're mixing things up." _

_Paul shook his head. "No. Remember, I told you that some things would be the same in both choices." _

_She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Just…I can't believe that Jackie's mom would encourage her to take Kelso back just for presents." She shook her head. "She was giving good advice up till then." _

_"Nobody's perfect, Love. You'll learn that quickly when you're on earth. Now come along." _

The next day, Jackie has finally allowed Michael in her presence. He's come to her room bearing not only flowers, but a ring. A promise ring.

Kelso kneeled in front of her bed, in between her legs, and held the ring towards her. He looked nervous, repeatedly swallowing and blinking, and his voice sounded strained. "Jackie, I uh…I got you this ring…it's a promise ring."

Jackie looked at the ring. It was lovely; a thin gold band supporting a small, pink stone. The gold was obviously real, and the stone of high quality, though not a diamond. She smiled slightly. It was perfect. She lifted her eyes, and the look on Michael's face, despite herself, made her heart beat faster. He looked like a puppy, a lost puppy who missed his leash and the person who guided him. He looked sorry. His brown eyes were soft and downcast. "What are you promising?" she asked quietly.

He took her right hand and slowly slid the ring over the finger a ring belonged on. "I'm promising that I'll never cheat on you again. I'm promising to be a better boyfriend. And I'm promising…" His voice cracked with emotion. "And most of all, Jackie, this ring is my promise to you that I will always…love you."

Love raised a hand to her chest, her eyes misting. "Oh, that's so…" She raised an eyebrow, and her hand fell to her side. "Wait, why doesn't she look more…I don't know…more…"

"Moved? Bowled over?" Paul said, with slight amusement.

Love nodded. "Yes." She furrowed her brow. "Why isn't she swooning or something?"

"I'm not really sure."

She looked at Paul, and she knew he knew why but wasn't going to tell her. "Fine. I'll just keep watching." She pouted. Some guide. He was keeping things from her.

Jackie's smile was tight. "Oh, Michael." And her voice was equally so. "That's…do you mean it?"

Kelso nodded. "Will you take me back?"

She paused, and glanced over her right shoulder towards her desk.

"What is she looking at? That t-shirt hanging over the chair?"

Paul nodded. "But don't ask me to explain it to you, or who gave it to her, because I'm not going to."

Love stared at him and chewed on her lower lip. She smiled slightly. "It's from Steven, isn't it?"

Paul lifted one shoulder and didn't look at her. "I'm not saying a word."

Love nodded. "Okay." She turned back to Jackie, who was still staring at the shirt. "She's missing him."

"Watch."

"Jackie?"

She cleared her throat and with a tiny shake of her head, set her eyes on Michael again. "Sorry, I just…" She took a deep breath. "If you promise to never cheat on me again, Michael, and if you're willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to me…"

"Oh, I am, Jackie, I am. I mean, I love it when you get all bossy with me, so feel free." His eager grin faded. "Just as long as you'll be with me again."

She nodded and smiled, looking tired. "Okay."

Her voice was so small.

"Really?"

And his was so large.

"Really."

"God, thank you, Jackie!"

He pulled her into his arms, and Jackie rested her chin on his shoulders, her hands limply placed on his back. She tried to smile, but it faltered. Her eyes shined with tears, and quickly released one.

_Love watched the droplet train slowly and unevenly down Jackie's perfectly made-up face. She wanted to be happy, because she did believe Michael's apology. Yet, Jackie seemed so conflicted. Trapped._

_Trapped._

_Love had the oddest sensation, like she'd been here before, like Jackie had been here before. She looked at Paul._

_"It's called déjà vu. The feeling of having experienced something before."_

_"But when have I experienced this before?"_

_He smiled, an enigmatic one that was quickly getting on Love's nerves. " You'll remember when you need to. Now, we must be off. One more thing to see."_

_Love clenched her hands into fists. She liked Paul, but was getting rather sick of all the mystery. "Fine," she spat at him irritably._

_**A year later, Jackie and Kelso have been going strong, or at least, that's what she and everyone else thought. And then one day a very lovely young woman, Brooke, comes to the basement with news. She's pregnant with Kelso's child.**_

_Love gasped. "What? But…but he promised…he…."_

_Paul patted her hand. "I know. Just keep listening and watching."_

**_As I was saying, she's pregnant with Kelso's child. To make it worse for Kelso, she announces this in front of the entire gang (except Jackie, who'd gone upstairs for cookies). To make it even more worse for Kelso, just as she announces her pregnancy, Jackie comes down the stairs. Jackie runs away, and who do you think follows her out the door?_**

Hyde drove her to the same spot they'd had their first "date". She'd cried the entire way, and was still crying. He shifted nervously on his seat. All he could think of to do was reach over and pick up her small hand.

She lifted her head, her stormy eyes meeting his. "Steven," she whispered. Her entire body was still. Her tears, her sobs, even her breathing stopped. And then like an unexpected strike of lightning, she scrambled over the El Camino's front seat to Hyde. She climbed onto his lap, disregarding his gasp of surprise, ignoring the steering wheel pressing into her back. "Steven," she said, the two syllables breaking. Her hands circled his neck. "Get me pregnant, Steven."

_Love's eyes nearly burst, and she stepped forward. She watched as Jackie buried her face in Steven's neck, kissing him noisily and wildly. "What is she doing? She can't…I mean, she doesn't really want…"_

_"Watch."_

"Jackie, wh…I mean, just…oh, god…" Hyde struggled, tried to push her away, but couldn't. His eyes closed, and his head fell back to the headrest. His tongue worked over his lips; his lips parted, and his breathing seemed labored. But finally, he managed to push her away from him. "Jackie, you don't know what you're saying. You don't want me to…" His eyes darted away from her downturned face. "Get you pregnant."

"Yes I do! I want…I want you, Steven…now."

She tried to kiss his lips, but he avoided her. "No, you don't! You'd only be doing it to get back at Kelso!"

The flushed and still teary eyed Jackie stared at him. "So what? Why does that matter?"

Hyde grimaced and looked away.

_Love shook her head and looked down. Jackie could never see how Steven felt about her; that much was clear. And what else was clear was that Steven loved her. Jackie had missed the hurt in Steven's shaded eyes, but she hadn't._

_"Nothing to say?"_

_Love scuffled her foot against the clouds below her. "No."_

_She felt odd. Angry. Sad. Longing. Like there was something in front of her, something she dreamed about, but she simply couldn't reach it._

_"Okay, well, keep watching."_

Jackie took a deep breath, put her hand on Steven's cheek and turned him back to her. She took his glasses off, and gently hooked them on his shirt the way he so often did. "I just wanna feel better, Steven," she said, her voice little and shy. "You…I don't know why, but you're the one who makes me feel the best."

They stared into one another's eyes, seeming to speak to one another all sorts of things that neither could actually voice, or, for that matter, admit to themselves.

_Love covered her mouth with a fist, her fingers squeezing tightly. Would he give in? Did he feel so much for her that even though he knew Jackie was basically using him, he'd give in? And was she really using him? It seemed so, and yet, it also seemed not so. Something in her eyes as they joined with his. Something in the way her fingers trailed his sideburns, his stubbly cheeks._

He lunged up and took his lips with his.

_Love's toes curled as the couple's kiss deepened and sped. They pressed so close and tight against each other she shivered. A weird and tingling, slightly aching pleasure built in her middle. And then the scene disappeared into a cloud of misty black. She turned to Paul with a glare. "Paul, what the hel…heck?"_

_Paul gave her an amused smile. "We can't watch what happens next, although I'm sure you can guess."_

_She pouted. Sex had been whispered about at home by the UBS's. V had been particularly interested in it. She couldn't help it. She was curious. "What if I want to watch, huh?"_

_"No. It's something you should experience rather than watch," Paul said._

_"Unless you're Fez in Choice One," Love pointed out._

_"Exactly. Now, my sweet Love, lets go. There's just a few more things to see in Choice Two."_

_Love sighed. She supposed she'd have to wait to see what sex was like. Unless…She glanced at Paul. He wasn't bad looking at all. And, as he began to walk away from her, she noticed that his backside was rather nice._

_"I know what you're thinking, and while I'm flattered, no."_

_Love rolled her eyes. Figured._


	11. Choice Two Off Into the Sunset

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Choice Two – Naperville, Illinois – Off Into the Sunset _

_**A year later. Jackie has taken Kelso back. **_

_Love grabbed Paul's arm. "What? Why? He cheated on her! And she…she and Steven…" She rubbed her forehead; it ached._

_Paul nodded, his expression solemn. "I know. Brooke managed to convince her of how much Michael loves her. And Michael wrote her a song."_

_Love looked at Paul. "Really?" She smiled. "Do I get to hear it?"_

_Paul shook his head. "No. But the lyrics were…well…"_

_"Just recite them."_

_He rolled his eyes, but complied. "Jackie, please take me backie. I swear I'll get the knack see."_

_Love wanted to laugh, but also wanted to cry. "She took him back because of that?"_

_"He also wrote her a letter. Oh, and he bought her more flowers. A lot more flowers. And some jewelry."_

_She nodded. That made sense._

**_After talking with Brooke, and extorting much more jewelry and flowers and silk scarves out of Michael, Jackie puts aside – but doesn't forget – her doubts, and she and Michael reunite. _**

**_Much to the chagrin of a certain someone…_ **

"I can't believe Hyde just took off." Michael Kelso shook his head with a grin, his arm wrapped around Jackie. He smiled at her. "Although, I am kinda glad he did. He was getting a little too violent. Kept hitting me for no reason."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "No, he was hitting you because you are an idiot, Michael, and kept making fun of him for not having a girlfriend." She looked tense, and scooted away from Michael. "God, do you have to be all over me? I can't breathe, Michael!"

Kelso stared at her as she moved away from him to the other end of the couch. "What is your problem, Jackie? You're like…you're like…"

Fez, standing behind Kelso, spoke up. "Oh, just say it, Kelso. She is bitchy." He leaned down and whispered to his buddy. "She probably is having her monthly visitor."

Jackie heard, and glared at Fez. "Shut up, Fez!"

_Love raised her eyebrows. "She's really upset. I thought she'd be happy, since she and Michael are back together." She pursed her lips, and talked more to herself than to Paul. Heck, he wouldn't give her any answers anyway. She pretty much had to piece it together herself. "But obviously Steven was upset when she picked Kelso and took off. And that's why she's upset."_

_Paul nodded. "You're quite perceptive." She looked at him curiously, as if she suspected he was being sarcastic. He smiled. "I'm not surprised."_

_She grinned. "Yeah, well.." She rolled her eyes. "I'll keep watching."_

Eric sat on the washing machine, idly sucking on his Popsicle. "Yeah, well, I'm getting a bit worried. He wasn't in the best of moods when he left."

"Yeah." Donna shook her head. "I just hope he hasn't gone and done anything stupid."

The basement door opened, and in walked Hyde. He looked rough, his clothes the same as he'd been wearing a month ago when he'd left, slightly rumpled. He stood near the record player, tossing his bag on the ground as if nothing odd had happened. The others stared at him, no one entire sure of how to react to the sly smirk that crossed his lips. "Glad everyone's here. Got someone I want you all to meet." He looked over his shoulder towards the still open door. "Okay, Sam!"

A tall, thin, willowy blonde walked in. She was dressed in blue hot pants and a black tube top. The outfit left little, very little, to anyone's imagination, and all the guys stared at her.

Jackie and Donna raised suspicious eyebrows.

Fez smiled. "Well, well, who is this?" He licked his lips.

As did Kelso. "Who cares who she is, Fez. She's freaking hot!"

"This," Hyde said, as he put an arm around the smiling girl's shoulders, "is Sam. Met her in Vegas at a nudie bar."

"I'm a stripper," Sam chirped proudly.

Jackie stood up and glared at both Sam and Hyde. "A stripper?"

Hyde's eyes locked onto Jackie's, even as the others gasped and murmured their surprise. "A stripper," he confirmed. "And also…even better…she's my wife."

"WHAT?"

Kelso looked at Jackie with a frown. "Damn, Jackie, why are you yelling? So Hyde married a stripper." He grinned at Hyde. "You married a stripper! Awesome!"

_Love shook her head. Hyde was staring at Jackie proudly, like he was glad she'd turned pale. Like he was glad her lower lip was trembling. "Oh god…Hyde married some slutty stripper, and Jackie…god, can't he see how upset she is? Doesn't Kelso see how she's got tears in her eyes?" Her face flushed. "Doesn't Jackie realize why she's so upset?"_

_Paul shook his head. "Yes, Hyde knows she's upset. And he likes it. Kelso doesn't notice Jackie's tears. And yes, she knows why she's so upset, but she can't admit it to anyone, not even herself." He reached out and took Love's hand. "We need to fast forward a few minutes."_

**_After the initial shock, the gang extended varying degrees of welcome to Sam, from Fez, Kelso and Eric's enthusiastic hellos to Jackie and Donna's less than perky grumbles. Hyde decided to go upstairs to inform the Forman's that he'd returned, wisely advising Sam to stay downstairs for the time being, and Jackie, being Jackie, followed him._ **

"Steven, stop." Jackie caught him just at the top of the staircase and grabbed his arm. He turned, giving her an impatient sigh, and she returned it. "What in the hell did you do?"

He crossed his arms across his chest. "I got married, that's what I did. To a hot girl."

"You married a whore, Steven," Jackie snapped. She shook her head and swallowed hard. "You may not know it now, but you made the biggest mistake of your life." She looked down and twisted her fingers together. "She's not gonna make you happy."

He shifted on his feet and took his glasses off. His eyes burned with a mixture of anger and amusement. "You sound jealous, Jackie, and guess what? You have no right to be. You've made it perfectly clear that I'm just a guy you go to when you feel like crap. I'm done with that, Jackie. Okay? You got it? I'm done."

Jackie smiled, but the smile was weak, her mismatched eyes glistened with tears, though she looked directly into his. "I just think…I'm not jealous, Steven, I just…" She looked down again.

_"She is too jealous," Love snapped._

_Paul nodded. "True."_

"I just think you can do better. So much better than a slutty stripper."

He took a step down to her, his face, for once, revealing his feelings. He looked hurt and angry, and most of all, exhausted. With one finger, his index finger, he lifted her lowered chin, then gripped her jaws to keep her from looking away. "I tried to do better, Jackie," he said quietly, his voice low and thick. "Better didn't want me."

She nervously licked her lips, then parted them. Her eyes narrowed. "But…Steven, what?"

He rolled his eyes. "You, Jackie. I wanted you, you didn't want me. Okay? You got it, now?"

"Ste…Steven…" Jackie's face paled further, and she seemed lost. Stunned. "I didn't…I didn't think that…I mean, we wouldn't have…" A teardrop, just one, fluttered from her eye and slid down her cheek.

"Whatever. Just…go back to Kelso and worry about him." His tone was bitter and stinging. He turned and walked up a few steps, then stopped. He didn't turn. "He'll cheat on you again, Jackie. You know it, and I know it…everyone knows it." He turned only slightly, just enough so his eyes could find hers. "He'll probably have more babies with other women, and you'll just take him back." He started to move up the stairs, but again stopped. And this time, he turned completely around.

She stared at him.

"You can do better too, Jackie." He smiled, sadly, with a slight shake of his head and a disdainful quirk of his lips. "But you won't."

He left, and she dropped her head into her hands. Her shoulders shook. When she lifted her head, to gaze up at the space he'd just abandoned, her lips bore the smile that only comes with tears. Streaks of those tears sullied her beautiful face. "You're my better, too," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I just didn't think…didn't think you…oh god…"

_Love gripped the collar of her robe in her tight fist, her eyes feeling bitterly wet as she watched Jackie sink to the steps. The tiny girl sobbed silently, and Love shook her head. "Oh…she's in love with him, just like he's…but he's married, and now she…" She turned to Paul. "What does she do?"_

_He rubbed a comforting hand over her back. "We'll soon see."_

**_A few weeks later. Jackie has not been spending much time in the basement, or with Kelso. And he's confused. _**

Kelso and Eric drove down Bailey Road, heading for the 7-11 to pick up some beer and chips. Kelso grimaced and held the steering wheel of his van, affectionately nicknamed the Shaggin' Wagon, a bit too tightly. "Man, I don't know what's wrong with Jackie. Since Hyde came home with his hot stripper wife, she's been moping around. She doesn't even wanna go shopping."

Eric shrugged. "And that's a bad thing? You used to complain about her always wanting to go shopping."

"Yeah, but at least when she's shopping she buys me stuff." Kelso gently eased his foot onto the gas pedal as the light in front of him changed to green. "And I need some stuff, Eric! God!"

Eric looked out the window. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, buddy. Except that I'm not really missing Jackie and her Donny Osmond obsession all that much." He looked at Kelso. "You know, she is the devil."

Kelso ignored his friend and stared hard at the road in front of him. "I just wish I knew why she's all…WAIT!"

Eric's eyes widened and his arms shot out to brace his hands on the dashboard. "Kelso!" he yelled. The van came to a sudden and violent stop, thrusting both of the passengers forward in their seats. After he'd fallen roughly back to the seat, Eric glared at the driver. "What the hell, man?"

Kelso grinned. "Sorry, Eric, but I got it! See, Jackie's been upset since Hyde came back married. He's married, man! SHE wants to be married! That's what her problem is!"

Eric nodded slowly. "And the solution to this problem is…"

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me!"

_Love's eyes widened. "Oh my god…is he serious?"_

_"Keep watching."_

**_A few days later, the gang – minus Sam, who is working - has gathered, as usual, in the Forman basement. Hyde is sitting on his chair, Donna and Eric are on the washer and dryer, Fez is on the couch, and Jackie is standing in front of the television set. In front of her, Kelso is on one knee. _**

He held a small black box to her, open to reveal a diamond ring. The diamond wasn't huge, wasn't small, but it sparkled beautifully, and her eyes locked on it.

Kelso smiled nervously. "I know I've screwed up, Jackie, and I know that I have a lot to make up to you. You've been so…"

Fez interrupted. "Bitchy."

Jackie glared at him. "Shut up, shampoo boy."

Kelso cleared his throat. "You've been unhappy lately, and I thought, what would make Jackie the happiest? And then I thought, getting married, because that's all she's ever wanted. So…" He took a deep breath. "I love you, Jackie, and I want you to be happy. Will you marry me?"

Jackie's eyes filled with tears. Her chest expanded, though she didn't appear to intake any breath. She stared at Michael, her lips parting. "I…" She looked to her left, at Steven.

_Love had to smile at the scowl Jackie was receiving. "I guess someone else is jealous, too, huh?" For some reason, that scowl made her feel good. Made her tingle. It could be because Steven, despite his scruffiness, was darn hot, especially when he was brooding._

_Paul nodded. "And he always will be."_

_Love shook her head. "It's so screwed up." She wondered if life on earth was required to be screwed up this way._

_"If the wrong choices are made, then yes."_

_She glared at Paul. "Can you read my mind?"_

_He grinned. "When I choose to. Now watch."_

"Jackie? Why are you looking at Hyde?"

She gasped softly and snapped her head back towards her boyfriend. "I…Oh, Michael…I…." Her eyes closed, her jaw clenched.

_Love closed her own eyes. "She's thinking about what Steven said, that she can do better. And that Steven is her better." Her eyes opened, and she smiled sadly. "It's too late. She knows it's too late."_

"Jackie, I really, really love you."

Her eyes opened, and she did her best to smile. Her eyes flittered to the ring. It was pretty, not as big as she'd always dreamed about, but very lovely, and she knew it would look wonderful on her finger. And Michael…She studied his eager face, those soft brown eyes, tender lips, incredibly manageable hair. They'd been through a lot, had good times and bad, and…her parents loved him. It would be a good life. He was so much like her. They had similar interests, similar abilities. And she could train him to be the husband she wanted. "Yes," she whispered. "I…yes, Michael…I'll marry you."

_Love looked away as an excited Michael Kelso leapt to his feet and picked Jackie up in his arms. She felt…._

**_Trapped. _**

_Again._

_"Okay, Love, it's time to go. You've seen your choices."_

_She felt Paul's hand on her back, and she turned to him. "What does that mean?"_

_He smiled and caressed her softly. "It means you must make your decision."_

_She closed her eyes._

_Two choices._

_One decision._

_And none of them would be Steven Hyde._


	12. The Choice

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_The Choice _

"Love, are you okay?"

I look around. We're back in the room with the pastel walls, this time in the center, and I don't see any openings in the wall like I did before. I look at myself, and the glossy lines inside my outline are becoming even more defined. I don't want to look at Paul, because frankly, I have no idea what to say.

I have to make a decision, and I have no idea what to do.

Paul puts his hands on my shoulders. "Love."

I try to smile. "I know. I have to decide." I pull away from him and begin pacing, then stop. I look down; the flaps look so much like Paul's feet, but smaller, and they're moving. Holy cow…I'm moving without anyone guiding me, without anyone pulling me! I look at Paul, and he's grinning. I smile, this time for real.

"You're almost ready, Love. You just need to…"

"Choose. " I sigh and look down at the floor of clouds. Point Place or Naperville. Rich with absentee parents, or middle class with attentive parents. Fez…huh, I never found out his last name, or Michael Kelso.

"You don't look thrilled."

I lift my head and do my best to smile. Paul is looking at me as if he understands what I'm thinking and feeling, and I'm sure he does, though I'm not sure I do. All I know is that he told me that when we were done, I'd know what to do. And I don't. "I just…I don't know what's wrong. I feel…disappointed or something."

Flat. I feel flat. I thought love was something to be so excited about, something thrilling and passionate that made the blood boil, that made everything beautiful and exciting. I thought love was supposed to make a person better. Challenge and magnify. For some reason, my choices don't seem to promise that.

**Trapped. **

"I think you do know what's wrong but are too afraid to say anything." Paul takes my hand and squeezes lightly until I look at him. His eyes are green, I'm just now noticing, and they look so kind. He really has been great through this whole thing. "Don't feel trapped, Love. If you want to say something, go ahead and say it."

I shake my head, a small grin on my lips. "You are too much, Paul." I take a deep breath, and remember another pair of eyes, blue, that had, in both of my choices, looked at Jackie with so much feeling, whether good or bad. I bite my lip. "I guess I just kind of wish that I had one more choice." My cheeks feel warm. "I…I think I have a crush on that Steven Hyde guy." I look up quickly, and Paul's staring at me. I rush to defend myself. "I mean, Fez is so sweet, and romantic, and he loves Jackie in his way, but he's also…he's creepy! And a pervert! And he can't give up those stupid magazines for her, he can't give up spying on another woman for her. And I don't think she loves him quite the way she should."

I turn from Paul and walk towards nothing at all, making circles on the cloud carpet that grow larger and large. "And Kelso…he's cute, so cute, and I know that he and Jackie have a lot in common, and when he wants to be, he's good to her. She can control him, and I know she likes that…but he cheats on her. He breaks her heart over and over again. Sure, he tries to make it up to her, but then…he just does the same thing again." I sigh. "And she doesn't love _him_ the way she should."

I stop walking and try to breathe. It's hard. Faced with these two choices, I feel…suffocated. I'm either going to face a lifetime struggling with perverted tendencies or suffering with an unfaithful mate. Either way, I'm going to spend a lifetime not loving quite as I should.

"Why do you think Steven would be better?"

I look at Paul. "He loves her. I mean, the others do, too, I guess, but Steven loves her enough to sacrifice for her. He's a jerk, and he's dirty, he's jealous and he does stupid, impulsive things when he's angry, but he…" My voice cracks. "He just loves her. And he can't even say it, because it's so much it scares him." I close my eyes, and I see Jackie's face when she ended her fling with Steven, when she ran to him after learning of Michael's soon to be born child, her frustrated goodbye to him when she and Fez left Point Place.

I know. She loves him, too. She loves him like no other. Not like Fez, not like Michael. And it petrifies her, too.

I look at Paul. "She loves him, too." I turn, then turn back, glaring at him. "Why isn't he a choice? They love each other!"

He smiles gently and approaches me. "You have a third choice, Love."

My eyes widen. "What?"

"A third choice, one that's neither Fez nor Michael. The caveat is that I can't tell you anything about it, I can't show you anything about it."

My heart seems stuck. I press my hand to it, but it doesn't help. I still don't feel it, and I can't even feel myself breathing. But I must be, somehow, because I'm still on my feet. "But…" And I can still talk, so I must still be breathing. "Can you at least tell me if it's Steven?"

Paul smiled and nodded. "I can tell you that, and it is Steven." He raises an eyebrow. "I can't tell you how you get together, or even if you last. If you go through pain, if he hurts you or if you hurt him. I can't tell you anything more."

"Is…"

"Everything you've seen of Steven Hyde in your two choices…that all sums him up. You know what you need to know to choose, Love."

I close my eyes, feeling some sort of wetness behind them. Steven. I'd hated him at first. And then…I saw him doing and saying so many little things that Jackie hadn't. The love from him was so hard for him to give, that I could tell. And yet so intense and wonderful.

I don't feel trapped.

"If you choose Michael, or if you choose Fez, Love, I can guarantee you that you will be married and have a family." Paul comes to me and touches my shoulders. I meet his eyes, though he's sort of blurry. I guess I must be close to crying. But oddly, it feels good. I feel…excited. Relieved. At peace. "I cannot give you that guarantee if you choose Steven." He lifts a shoulder. "If you want to choose him, you're going to have to take a risk."

I look up, and all I see is blue. The blue of Steven's eyes.

And somehow, I know_, I know_, what I have to do. Because the feeling in my chest, where Paul had touched me before this journey, is echoing Steven's name over and over again. I _know_.

I put my hands on Paul's shoulders. "I choose Steven, whatever that means, wherever I have to go. I choose him."

Paul nodded, and though I try to read into his smile, I can't.

"Did I make the right choice?"

He chuckles and pats me. "I can't tell you that." He looks around, up and down, side to side, as if he's trying to see if another angel is watching him. Odd, since no one else is in the room…although maybe they are and I just can't see them. He grins at me playfully and gives me a wink. "But just between you and me…I think you did."

He hugs me. Whoa…this is nice…warm and strong…I hope I get to experience this on earth. "I'm going to miss you, Love," he says softly.

He pulls away, and I grin at him. "Even though I kept talking and it took us about twice as long to get through the tour?"

He nods. "Even so." He takes a deep breath, takes my hand. "So…for the last time, come with me."

Even though I can move on my own, I let him pull me. It's the last time, I'm sure.

He leads me to another opening. This one is shaded gray, and I can't really see anything at all. It doesn't even look like the fog or clouds I'm used to. It's new, and different, and I'm starting to feel nervous. I'm a little cold, and I shiver. His warm hands rub my arms.

"You're ready, Love."

I smile at him, again, my eyes blurry with those tear things. I feel one drop, and reach up to wipe it away. " Thank you, Paul. I…"

He shakes his head. "Just be happy, Love, and enjoy earth. That's all I want for you."

He turns me, and before I can say anything, before I can breathe, he pushes me forward. And as I glide into it, the gray turns to blue, the blue of Steven's eyes, then pink, then a combination of both. The air is warm around me as I float, but I'm so sleepy. I don't strain, I don't fight, I just go where I'm taken.

I have to close my eyes. I'm so tired.

I figure I can sleep, and then the next time I open my eyes, I'll be on earth, in life. Born into life, we've always been told.

As I drift off, the blanket of rest wrapping around me, I smile. I'm heading towards my maybe not so perfect, but true love.


	13. Epilogue The Life

**The Choice of a Lifetime **

_Epilogue – The Life _

Happy Hideaway Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, 1978

He stood in the doorway, holding loosely to the towel that he'd just inadvertently pulled off his best friend. His heart felt disintegrated, and thank god for his sunglasses or else the girl he stared at, the girl who'd supposedly loved him, would see the hurt. Would see that she'd broken him. He dropped the towel, ignoring the small clucking sounds from her throat, and turned to leave.

"Steven, no! Wait!"

A small hand on his elbow stopped him with a tug harder than she should be capable of. He stopped.

Couldn't help it. Despite himself, this girl…he loved her.

She held onto his arm, digging her fingers into him so he couldn't escape. "Nothing…" Her voice was thick, too thick to speak clearly through, and she coughed. "Nothing happened, Steven. Michael is just…well, he's being Michael. He was trying to seduce me, but I swear to you, Steven, I SWEAR that I wasn't gonna…." She broke down and let go of his arm, her head bowing and the tears falling. "I love you so much, Steven, I would never do that to you…I swear!"

He whirled around, his face turning red, and pointed at her. "Damn it, Jackie, if you love me, then why in the hell was he here?"

"Because I thought you didn't want me, Steven! When I told you I was leaving, you didn't care! You just told me to have a nice trip! I thought you didn't love me!" Her voice was loud, and she moved her tiny body close to his. She poked him in the chest. "I thought you didn't love me, Steven!"

Steven Hyde stared at her for a long moment, then swallowed hard and looked down towards the floor, though what his eyes picked up on was her hand on his chest. "I guess I can see why you thought that." He tried to breathe. Every instinct in him told him to run, to go back home, and forget this chick. To forget he'd ever had the impulse to ask her to marry him. To forget he'd loved her. To forget that he'd realized that he always would.

Something kept him in the hotel room. Some stupid shred of hope.

He grimaced. Hope. Sure. He knew what was coming. Might as well give _her_ an ultimatum. See how she liked it. See how she dealt with it. He stepped away from her touch, then stalked around her into the hotel room, pacing tiny circles on the floor.

"You have to choose, Jackie, me or Kelso. You can't say you love me then go running off to him every time I don't do what you want me to. 'Cause if that's what you want, then I'm out of here, Jackie. I mean it."

Jackie smiled. She felt strength returning to her body, her soul. There was still hope…he wasn't slamming the door on her. _He's not running off to Vegas to marry a random stripper. _She frowned, her brow furrowing. What in the hell kind of thought was that? Where had it come from? _Whatever. _She shook her head and again smiled, moving to him and putting her hands on his chest. "Steven," she said. She looked up, reached up and took his sunglasses off. She hooked it on his shirt, and to her surprise, he removed them and tossed them behind him onto the bed. "Steven, I chose you a long time ago. Sometimes I think…" She flushed. "Sometimes I think I chose you even before I was born. I just…I didn't wait for your answer because I was so scared." She looked down. "I love you so much that it really scares me sometimes, Steven."

She leaned into him, her forehead resting on his chest, and Hyde closed his eyes. God, he still wanted to just run. This shit was too hard, too frustrating.

But she was still here. She loved him.

And she was the thing keeping him here. Or rather, the fact that he loved her was the thing keeping him here.

"Yeah, I uh…I guess I get that."

She looked up, smiling in surprise, and when their eyes met, her smile only grew. "I scare you, too, don't I Steven?"

He rolled his eyes and looked away, but his hands lightly held her waist.

"You get scared of losing me, too!"

He smiled slightly. Couldn't help it. This chick…she was something. That damned excitement and passion in her voice. "Whatever," he muttered.

For a long moment, they stood together, touching slightly.

"I…Jackie, I…"

Jackie looked up at Steven. "Yeah, Steven?"

Their eyes met, and for the first time, he ignored the warning voices in the back of his mind that told him he wasn't good enough for her, that she'd leave him for someone else, that he'd lose her. For the first time, he allowed himself to follow what _he_ wanted instead of what the fear wanted. "Look, I don't know about marriage or anything." He cleared his throat. "But I know that…I know that I want you to come home with me. I know that I wanna be with you."

"Oh, Steven!" She beamed, and a few sprinkling tears of joy fell from her lower lashes. "That's all I wanted to know!"

She jumped up into his arms, and their lips crashed together in a scalding kiss. He stumbled blindly towards the bed and pushed her down, never taking his lips off hers.

Later on, they lay naked underneath the covers on the bed. Jackie gingerly held up the broken sunglasses and gave Steven a shy smile. "I uh…I think I fell on these."

Hyde shrugged and took the twisted frames from her. He tossed them to the floor and grinned. "It's cool. I can always get another pair." He stared at her, her beautiful face, still glowing with the sweat from the heat and passion they'd just shared. His arm was around her shoulders, and he drew her closer. "Guess I probably couldn't get another you, though."

Jackie sat straight up, her hand flying to her bare breasts. "Oh my god, Steven, that was probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me! I KNEW that you…oh, I just…You're so…Oh Steven…"

He laughed, too hopped up on the afterglow of amazing sex and the relief of being with this goofy chick again to be angry with himself for being so Forman-like. "Jackie," he said, turning to her and taking her face in his hands. "God, just shut your piehole!"

And he forced her too, with yet another electrifying kiss.

A little later, after their third round, she sat on top of him, smiling down at him as she panted and tried to come down. She brushed back a few damp curls from his forehead. "I love you so much, Steven," she whispered. She lowered her self to him, brushed his lips, then buried her face in the crook of his neck.

Hyde held her, his hands roaming her back and rear end. He tried to catch his breath, all the while knowing it wasn't going to be much longer until he had to have her again. As he lay there, holding her, for the first time in a long, long time, he felt peace. He felt sure. This girl was his. Her heart pounding in perfect time with his told him that. "Jackie," he said quietly, huskily. "There's, uh, there's something else I know. You know, beside the fact that I want you to come home with me."

She lifted up. "Yeah? What's that?"

He brushed a strand of black and silken hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ears. And he smiled. "I know that I love you."

The sun seemed to burst in her eyes, and for a moment, she couldn't say a word.

And then, the love and happiness in those unmatched eyes took on a wicked gleam. She pressed her chest into his. "Oh, Steven," she purred, lowering her lips to just above his. "You are gonna get SO much sex tonight!" He grinned and started to say something, but she shook her head. "Shut your piehole!"

She kissed him, and he did as he was told.

_Somewhere above the earth, deep in the blue of the sky, among the clouds, an angel smiled. He walked away from the sweet scene. "Oh, Love, there will definitely be a wedding," he said to himself. He sighed happily. Vetri and Love, probably the two UBS he'd enjoyed guiding more than any other. Together because they'd chosen one another. _

_Soulmates. Quite literally. _

_He walked on, knowing he had another UBS waiting for him. _

_"I hope they name their first son Paul." _

_He laughed. Knowing Love, she'd probably insist upon it, and poor Vetri wouldn't stand a chance. Just as they'd chosen it to be. _

** Our End...their beginning **


End file.
